Running Up That Hill
by Darkpurplelighter
Summary: There are always two sides, a side of light and a side of dark. Good and evil, right and wrong, love and hatred. Two sides of conflicting views, trapped in a never ending battle for supremacy. But what is it that lies between them?
1. Hell

_The devil stands ready to fall upon them, and seize them as his own…they belong to him; he has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion._

The wind was chilling that night. It could even be felt from inside this darkened hallway, where everything was surrounded by rock. The roar of the sea fading behind them could be heard as they stood inside the Dark Lord's lair, nervously awaiting their punishment.

Lucius Malfoy was currently standing beside Bellatrix Lestrange, both luckily were able to get away from the Department of Mysteries after being ambushed by members of the Order. The Dark Lord had sent them there to collect the prophecy, which Lucius had gotten a hold of for only a brief moment before being struck by Sirius Black.

After being knocked off balance, he dropped the prophecy and it shattered right before his eyes. That was right before the battle had begun.

Waiting anxiously for minutes, Lucius shut his eyes when he finally heard the sound of the Dark Lord's breathing from behind him. He was in trouble, and he knew it. And if there was one thing he learned from the years he had served under the Dark Lord, he knew there was only thing he could do now...beg.

"Please, my lord." Lucius finally began. "Forgive me, I have failed you." He hung his head even lower, his voice filled with sincere shame and regret. "I had gotten the prophecy from Potter, but-"

"Silence!"

Upon hearing the Dark Lord's demonic hiss, Lucius immediately stopped speaking and his eyes went back to the floor.

"I have no use for your excuses."

Voldemort then slowly removed his wand from his robes and pointed it at his most trusted Death Eater's back.

"_Crucio!_"

Lucius fell to the floor, writing in pain. Bellatrix stepped back, not daring to look down at him. He twisted and turned, feeling like his organs were being torn to bits by a white hot poker, but Lucius bit down on his tongue, doing his best not to scream out in pain.

After a few more anguishing seconds, the Dark Lord finally took the curse off him and spoke.

"Lucius…you have cost me greatly by not retrieving that prophecy, and you must be punished."

"Please my lord…" Lucius gasped from the hard, cold floor. "I will do anything…anything of me that you ask."

The Dark Lord looked down at him for a moment, before nodding.

"Get up."

Lucius sat up, pain going through his entire body. His legs were shaking a little as he was able to get back to his feet, straightening up his robe.

"Lucius, I have long wished to ask you to prove your loyalty to me."

"Anything, my lord."

"You've asked me what I wanted, in order to make up for this…"

"Yes."

Turning around, the Dark Lord walked a few steps while looking up at the ceiling for a moment. Lucius could only wonder what it could be his master required of him in order to regain his trust. After what seemed like an eternity to him, his master spoke.

"I want someone to raise and to teach." Voldemort began. "Someone to whom I can pass on all that I've learned and all that I know. Someone who will carry on my work when I can no longer do it myself…I want a son."

The Dark Lord then looked the other man right in the eye.

"And I want _your_ son, Lucius."

A long, painful silence ensured. Bellatrix watched her brother-in-law nervously, afraid of what the Dark Lord would do when Lucius refused. She couldn't bare to see him tortured again. Bellatrix even wondered if his refusal would be useless…

"He is yours, my lord." Lucius finally muttered. "You may have him."

_What?_

A smile came over the Dark Lord's lipless mouth.

"I knew you would say that, Lucius. I am pleased. And don't worry, he will be well treated."

The Dark Lord then turned to walk away as Lucius lowered his head in shame. He didn't even see it coming as Voldemort spun back around, his wand pointed straight at him. The last thing Lucius Malfoy ever saw was a bright green light.

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

Bellatrix looked on in helpless shock as Lucius was blasted by the killing curse and was sent flying backwards until crashing against the wall with a sickening thud. His body then collapsed on the floor, lifeless. Blood slowly formed around the area of his head. When she looked over the Dark Lord's cold eyes met the ones of Bellatrix.

"Let this be a reminder to you never to fail me again."

The Dark Lord then placed the hood of his black robe over his head.

"Walk with me." He ordered.

Bellatrix swallowed nervously before stepping over her brother-in-law's dead body, walking with her master down the walkway.

"Would you like me to bring Draco here tonight, my lord?" Bellatrix asked.

Voldemort smiled.

"No, it's far too soon to bring him here. I will let you know when the time is right."

XXXXXXX

_One Year Later..._

Gasping for air when he finally stopped running, Draco Malfoy dropped down to one knee trying to get oxygen back into his lungs. His legs were dead, and there was a sharp pain in his right side.

His head was pounding, beating against the inside of his skull, beneath his shut, stinging eyes. Draco clamped a hand on his forehead, hoping that would take the pressure off the throb of his temple.

Draco then opened one eye when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him, looking up to see his savior, Severus Snape who was just as out of breath as he was.

Snape had risked his life, and blown his cover as a spy in order to rescue Draco from the Dark Lord's lair. Draco had been taken from his manor shortly after sixth year had ended and had spent all summer there, at first thinking that he was being forced to become a Death Eater. Forced to follow in his fathers footsteps.

But he soon learned that he was brought there to be taught to become something much more that that.

"Are you injured?" Snape finally asked while helping him to his feet and looking him over. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." Draco responded while pulling away from him.

"Alright, come along."

Draco continued walking with the potions master until they entered this run down neighborhood. In an instant, he got looks from people on the street as his robes were covered with mud. In the distance, Draco could hear children laughing, lovers talking, all the normal noises he never got a chance to experience.

'So this is how the other half lives.' Draco thought to himself before bumping into Snape when the other man stopped walking.

Draco looked up at the address, and as he did the house slowly materialized and an old, brown, worn out door formed in front of them, surrounded by tattered looking walls. Snape raised his hand and knocked twice on the door to 12 Gimmauld Place, headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix.

Inside the house, Albus Dumbledore sat in a chair inside the kitchen, a goblet of wine in front of him. He was waiting for any word back from Severus after instructed him to bring Draco here upon learning what Voldemort wanted him for.

Just as he thought that, the door swung open and Snape entered the room while gently pulling Draco in by the wrist. The feeling of relief went through him when he saw the two of them.

"Here he is Albus."

"Mister Malfoy." Dumbledore smiled as he went over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Draco stepped away from the old man's touch. He was far from okay, but he was alive. Looking down at the floor, he quietly muttered;

"I'll be alright."


	2. Problems

Upon arriving home after a seemingly never-ending sixth year had come to an end, the only thing Draco was happy about was that he was going to be able to sleep in his own, comfortable bed. However, the warm feelings of being safely back home didn't last very long.

Later that night, Draco was dragged out of bed by two figures in masks. He did his best to put up a fight but was only hexed in return. The only thing he was grateful for was being able to snatch his wand off the night table and shove it into his pant's pocket before being taken from the manor, all the way to a cave off the coast of the sea.

Draco was then thrown roughly forward and landed hard on the ground, into a puddle of water that drenched his silk, dark green pajamas. He began shivering as his bare feet were numb, and the cold air went through his now damp clothes.

Looking up as his vision cleared, what he saw made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as an icy chill went down his spine.

The Dark Lord himself was standing above him, his eyes bright in the dim light, piercing through the young man at his feet. Blinking rapidly with his jaw opened, Draco tried to find his voice as he couldn't get his body to move. He could only stare up at the man who had murdered his father.

"Leave us." Voldemort ordered the two Death Eaters still in the room.

They turned without a word and left the area, leaving Voldemort alone with the young Malfoy.

When they were gone the Dark Lord turned around and walked a few steps and as he did, Draco finally pulled himself up and took out his wand, pointing it at the other wizard. Voldemort turned back around when he heard the rapid movement and what he saw caused him to smirk.

"What are you going to do Draco, curse me?" He asked in amusement. "You may try if you'd like, but I think that it would end badly for you. In fact, I can guarantee it."

Draco swallowed nervously as his hand began shaking. He then managed to ask the question that had been on his mind for a year.

"Why did you kill my father?"

"He outlived his usefulness."

Biting his lip, Draco's mind was completely blank at what he should do next. But before he could even come up with an answer, the Dark Lord whipped out his wand and Draco was now flying straight towards him.

Voldemort caught Draco by his throat and had a firm grip on him with his right hand, although not enough to cut off his air. He backed the young man up until he was against the wall, than slowly turned his head to the right, then to the left, just looking him over.

"Now, to deal with you."

Draco squeezed his eyes shut, horrible visions of what the Dark Lord was going to do to him going through his mind.

Voldemort then let go of Draco's neck and snatched his wrist in a vice like grip, dragging him out of the room. They proceeded out into a centralized room and up a staircase, at the top of which were doors that led to living quarters.

Pushing open the front of a door, Voldemort pulled Draco in to what revealed to be a small bedroom. It was furnished with a bed, but nothing else. There weren't any windows, and the second door in the room opened up into a bathroom.

The Dark Lord motioned for Draco to go inside and he did, because what else could he do? He looked back at the Dark Lord…he was both terrified and mesmerized at the same time.

"Go have a shower. There's no way to escape, and Draco…if you ever do try to curse me, you won't like what happens next. Are we clear?"

Draco nodded, wide eyed.

"Crystal clear."

"Good."

Voldemort stepped back and shut the bathroom door. Draco stared at himself in the mirror for a moment before removing his clothes. Turning on the shower and stepping inside, Draco closed his eyes and sighed at how good the hot water felt against his cold skin.

As he stared headed at the shower wall, the ridiculousness of his situation seemed to strike him at once. Draco thought the Dark Lord was going to torture him, maybe feed him to a pack of hungry wolves, not make him take a shower. He would have laughed had he not be so terrified.

After a few more minutes, Draco forced himself to turn off the water. He felt a little more clear headed as he stepped out of the shower and took off the towel that was hanging on the back of the door and wrapped it around himself. He bit his lip, looking down at his pajamas on the floor. They were still wet, should he ask…

"I assume you need something to wear." Came the Dark Lord's voice.

"Uh..." Draco began, thinking of how to answer. However, the Dark Lord spoke again.

"I'm opening the door to hand you something."

The door opened a little and a black robe was dropped on the floor, along with a pair of wool socks before closing it again.

He dressed quickly and left his other clothes in a pile on the floor since he had no idea what else to do with them. Draco then looked over at the closed door, where the Dark Lord was waiting on the other end.

"Um...now what?"

"Open the door, Draco."

Taking a deep breath, Draco slowly pulled the door open as he said. Seeing him made him nervous again and his eyes went to the floor. He stood still like a prey caught in the predator's gaze. After a few more moments, he found the courage to speak.

"What is this? Why am I here?"

"In time, you will know."

Voldemort turned around and headed for the door.

"I'll have to lock you in, of course."

'I figured as much.' Draco thought to himself, sitting down on the edge of the bed. The mattress was firm, not nearly as soft as his mattress back home. Voldemort gave him a long look before closing the door behind him. Draco then layed down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

He was inside of a bedroom in the home of the most powerful and evil wizard in history.

XXXXXXX

Draco quickly sat up in bed before stumbling to the floor with the sheets twisted around his body. His blonde hair was a mess as he looked around the room in a panic, before remembering where he was now.

'It's okay.' He thought to himself as he slowly slid down the wall until he was sitting on the floor. Draco pulled his knees to his chest and rested his head down on them. 'You're safe now.'

As he continued to calm himself down, Snape was heading up the stairs to bring Draco a letter concerning his seventh year at Hogwarts.

Snape had always known the risks when he agreed to be a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. He had always known that someday there might come a time when his cover as a loyal Death Eater and servant of Lord Voldemort might be blown to pieces and he would have to run for his life.

That time came yesterday when he helped Draco escape from the Dark Lord's clutches, bringing him back here to headquarters. But it was worth it…as long as they kept Draco away from the Dark Lord, it was worth it.

"Draco, are you awake?" Snape asked after lightly knocking on the door. When no answer came, he opened up and looked around to see Draco sitting on the floor.

Snape walked over and kneeled down in front of him, putting his hands on his shoulders.

"Draco, look at me." He instructed. The pale boy's eyes then met his. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Draco said irritably as he got back up. "Stop worrying about me."

"I have news regarding your seventh year at Hogwarts." Snape said while handing Draco a letter.

Oh great. He had forgotten that school was about to begin again. Draco had just escaped from the Dark Lord's lair and in a few short days he would be going back to Hogwarts.

Trading one hell for another.

Draco looking over the letter, and when he got done reading he looked up at the potions master with a slight grin on his face.

"I've been named head boy."

Snape nodded.

"Congratulations, you earned it."

Draco was surprised Dumbledore hadn't tried to figure out a way to give it to Potter, just like he handed everything else to him. Well, at least this was kind of good news. He wouldn't have to be in the Slytherin dorm anymore, he would get to be alone. He would just have to share with one person.

"So," Draco began. "Who's head girl?"


	3. Achievements

It was a quarter past eight in the morning, and the sun was shining brightly over the Burrow. Owls hooted outside of the bedroom Hermione had been sharing with Ginny over the summer, causing her to stir in her sleep, turning over and squinting her eyes at the clock.

Brushing her hair out of her face, Hermione kicked the covers off and got dressed, ready to spend the last few remaining days of summer vacation with her friends. They had fun over the past few months, it was nice to be here with everyone, nice to take their minds off of everything that was going on in the outside world. Heading down the stairs, she saw that Ginny was sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal when she entered the kitchen.

Looking over when she came into view, Ginny smiled in amusement when she saw the other girls brown hair sticking up in all directions.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty."

"Good morning." Hermione responded, sitting down across from her.

"Want some cereal?"

"No thank you, I'm not hungry."

Just then the front door opened up and Ron came in from riding his broom with Harry all morning. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the two girls.

"What do you want?" Ginny asked.

"I've only just come in for a drink," he muttered, brushing past them and catching Hermione's eye. "Do I need your permission?"

Hermione glared at him as she watched him walk towards the fridge, open the door and grabbed the bottle of orange juice, taking a big gulp of it.

"Ron!" Ginny yelled. "That's disgusting, use a glass!"

Ron rolled his eyes and put the juice back.

"Too late, I already got the drink I wanted."

After Ron went back outside, Ginny remembered something and handed Hermione an envelope in between taking a bite of her breakfast.

"Here, mom wanted me to give you this when I saw you. It came last night."

Hermione took the letter from her and looked down at it, curiously. Upon seeing it was from Hogwarts she wondered what it could be since she had already received her schedule a few days ago.

Getting up from her seat and heading to the living room, she opened up the letter and as she turned it over something fell out of it and dropped to the floor. Bending over to pick it up, when she turned it over in her hand, Hermione was stunned to see what it was.

It was a bright gold badge with the words 'Head Girl' at the bottom of it. A bright smile then came to her face as she realized all her hard work had paid off. Her heart began beating rapidly when she pulled the letter out and began reading it.

"_Dear Ms. Granger;_

_It is my great pleasure to inform you that you have been chosen Head Girl for this school year._ _Your excellent academic record and many accomplishments in your previous years at Hogwarts made you the best choice for this highly esteemed position amongst your peers. We look forward to observing your continued growth into a graduate of our beloved school._

_You will be expected at a meeting set up for you and the Head Boy, Draco Malfoy upon arrival at Hogwarts after the welcome feast. We look forward to seeing you then._

_Congratulations and good luck,_

_Professor Minerva McGonagall_

_Hogwarts __School__ of Witchcraft and Wizardry._"

Hermione's mouth was opened slightly as she kept reading the same words over and over. She hoped that she was seeing things at first, but it was right there in black and white. Draco Malfoy was the Head Boy. At that moment, she felt the feelings of shock leave her and she began getting angry as she started balling the paper up in her hands.

"No…" she quietly muttered to herself before shouting, "No! I won't do it! I won't! No!"

She continued shouting those exact same words until Ginny walked into the room with a look of confusion her face when she heard the sound of Hermione yelling about something.

"Goodness, Hermione. What are you yelling about?"

Hermione let out a deep breath before thrusting the letter out at her which she took and carefully smoothed over before beginning to read it silently to herself. Ginny apparently only read the first line because she looked up at the other girl with a big smile on her face.

"You made Head Girl? Congratulation, Hermione."

Hermione shook her head.

"Keep reading."

Ginny's eyes fell back to the parchement for a few moments before a look of understandment went over her face.

"Oh my, Malfoy is the Head Boy?"

"Yes." Hermione sighed before sitting down on the couch. "What a nightmare, I can't imagine what Dumbledore was thinking."

"I'm so sorry, Hermione." Ginny said while sitting down next to her. She knew how much being named Head Girl must have meant to her. "What rotten luck."

"It just isn't fair."

Hermione really wanted to enjoy the last year at Hogwarts as much as she could. When it was all over, she along with Harry and Ron would probably become members of the Order to deal with the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters.

"You know what?" She began. "I'm not going to do it."

Ginny's brows furrowed.

"You're not going to do what?"

"I'm turning down the position of Head Girl. I'm not doing it."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I am. Ginny, I want this to be a good year, for all of us. I'm not going to waste it having to share a common room with the person that's made my life miserable for the past six years."

"Hermione, think about what you're saying." Ginny pleaded. "You've worked so hard for this, don't let Malfoy ruin it for you."

Hermione ran her fingers over the edges of the badge before looking over at the other girl. She really did want this but didn't know if she could handle a year with having to put up with Malfoy.

"I don't want to deal with him, Ginny." She finally sighed. "You know how awful he'll be to me. I don't want to put up with it this year."

"Listen, if he starts giving you a hard time just tell Dumbledore. He'll remove him from the position. I know you don't like him but if you turn this down, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Hermione sighed and nodded.

"I'll think about it."


	4. Demons

The gleaming red Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. All around in the crowd, students were meeting up with their friends, loading their bags, and calling cheerful good-byes to their parents before getting on board. Draco walked on the train and kept searching until he found an empty compartment so he could be alone.

Honestly, Draco didn't even want to return for seventh year but Severus was making him. He couldn't go home because his mother was now in hiding, and the manor would probably be the first place the Dark Lord would look for him. At first he thought he had gotten some good news when he was told that he had made Head Boy, but that was until he was told that the mudblood Granger would be the Head Girl.

Leaning his head back on the leather seat, Draco couldn't help but smile a little when he started thinking about what Granger's reaction must have been when she found out he was the Head Boy.

He was just about to close his eyes when suddenly the compartment door opened and he jumped a little before Pansy Parkinson stuck her head in and smiled when she saw him.

"Draco! There you are." Pansy smiled as she shut the door and sat down next to him.

"Pansy." Draco sighed.

"How come you didn't come to sit with us?" She asked, referring to herself, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"No reason."

"I tried owling you over the summer, you know?"

Draco shrugged in return, but didn't say anything. Pansy didn't know where he was over the summer.

"What's wrong? Aren't you happy that this is our last year?"

"I don't really care. I wasn't even sure I was coming back this year."

"But the last year is always the best." Pansy smiled, trying to get Draco in a better mood.

"Whatever."

Just then, the train started up and began pulling out of the station. Draco turned his head and looked out the window as they began moving. Everything started becoming blurry…he could hear Pansy's voice but it slowly drowned out as his eyelids began to get heavy...

XXXXXXX

Draco was exhausted from a fitful, dreamless sleep and didn't stir once during the night. He woke up to a knocking sound at the door, and at that moment he began looking around the small room that was still dark because it didn't have a window and then he remembered.

He was locked in the Dark Lord's lair.

"Draco? Are you awake?" Came a voice along with another knock.

Swallowing nervously as he got to his feet, Draco took a deep breath before answering.

"Y-yes."

The door opened and Voldemort walked in, looking much the same as he had the night before. He watched the younger boy for a moment as Draco eyes went to the floor, unable to handle the Dark Lord's gaze. Being in this darkened room actually made him scarier, it that was possible.

"How are you feeling?" Voldemort finally asked.

With his heart beginning to beat faster, Draco began searching his thoughts for an answer but as he did the Dark Lord began slowly moving towards him. He backed up until he was eventually flattened against the wall.

"What are you doing?" He finally managed to ask.

"We're not going to get along very well if you're terrified of me." Voldemort responded, stopping a few feet in front of him, but still closer than Draco would like.

"I'm not terrified." Draco lied, than began thinking about what the Dark Lord had just said. Why would he want the two of them to get along?

"Oh, you are. I can smell it on you."

Voldemort then slowly ran his index finger down Draco's cheek, causing an icy chill to go through the young man's body. The Dark Lord then cocked his head as he continued looking at him.

"Draco, I'm not going to kill you." His voice was calm, but Draco still wouldn't look at him.

"Why should I believe you?" He asked.

"Why would I lie about it?"

Draco thought about that and realized that he did have a point. The Dark Lord had killed thousands of people, if not tens of thousands. If he wanted to kill him, surely he would have done it by now. But if the Dark Lord didn't want to kill him, why keep him locked in this room, in this lair? What did he want from him?

"Please just let me leave." Draco finally said.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Home."

"Home?" Voldemort smiled. "You are home."

Draco finally made himself look at the other wizard in front of him, his brows furrowed in confusion.

The Dark Lord began moving away, than waved his arm, signaling him to follow.

"Come along."

Draco did what he was told and followed him down the stairs. The cavernous fortress still looked impossibly cold and inhospitable to him, though it was much better once they arrived in the study, which actually looked fairly comfortable.

Once there, Draco quickly noticed three other people in the room. Two male, one female. The woman instantly got his attention as she looked like something you read about in a horror novel.

"Draco," Voldemort began and nodded towards the woman. "Meet your Aunt Bellatrix. She will be helping with your training."

Training? Training for what? Draco then looked down at himself, realizing that the black robe the Dark Lord had given him the night before was exactly like the ones the other two men were wearing.

XXXXXXX

"Draco? Draco!"

Draco gasped as he heard somebody yell his name. He looked over to see Pansy looking at him, concern in her eyes.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Of course I'm alright." He snapped. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"It looked like you were having a nightmare or something. You were shaking and everything."

"Just leave me alone Pansy. Stop speaking."

Fortunately for him, Pansy did just that as he leaned forward and rested his forehead against the cold glass window.

As the train ride finished and reached its destination, inside of another compartment, Hermione, Harry, and Ron gathering their trunks as the train slowly came to a stop.

Hermione had told them that she had made Head Girl because she had decided to take the position after all. Once, because of how hard she had worked over the previous years, and two, because she didn't want to give Malfoy the satisfaction of knowing that he drove her away from this.

When she told Harry and Ron that she and Malfoy were going to be the Heads this year, they had given her the same advice Ginny had, just tell Dumbledore if Malfoy started acting up…or better yet, come get them.

Hermione made her way through the sea of other students and got off the train, and as she was about to walk up towards the school, a familiar tall, blonde boy turned towards her and she was staring up at the egotistical face of Draco Malfoy.

"Hello, Granger."

"Hello, Malfoy."

After that, nothing else was said and Hermione began pulling her trunk, walking around him when just then, Draco spoke up again.

"You know I had a dream about you over the summer."

Hermione looked back at Draco, her face etched in confusion.

"What?"

"Yeah. In the dream, you, Potty, and the Weasel all fell off the Astronomy Tower." Draco then smiled. "It was such a nice dream."

Rolling her eyes, Hermione didn't even bother to respond as she began walking away from him and soon caught up with Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood.

"What did Malfoy say to you?" Ron asked. "Did he start up with you already?"

"Not really. He just told me that he had a dream about me, you, and Harry falling to our deaths."

"Well that's new." Harry responded.

Hermione just smiled as she forgot about Malfoy and the group continued making their way up to the school.


	5. Confrontation

Hours went by after they arrived at Hogwarts and got settled in, after the sorting ceremony, and the feast. Dumbledore was currently leading Hermione and Draco down the hallway, showing them to where the Head's dormitory was. After a few minutes of walking, the headmaster stopped in front of a large portrait and looked back at the two teens.

"The password is "unity." Dumbledore said.

Draco rolled his eyes as the portrait swung open and the three of them entered. Hermione couldn't help but let out a quiet gasp when she saw the inside of it.

Their common room was huge, rich with mahogany furniture. A fancy couch sat in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace, a completely filled bookshelf covered up one of the walls, and last but not least, a giant window facing the east showed a nice view of the lake. Two corridors branched off on either wide of the window, leading to their separate bedrooms.

"What do you think?" Dumbledore asked.

"It's beautiful." Hermione responded while running her hand over the arm of the couch.

"I'm glad you think so. What about you, Mister Malfoy?"

Draco shrugged. He was use to staying in fancy places, so nothing in the room really impressed him that much. However, it was a lot better than living in the Dark Lord's lair.

"It's nice, I guess."

"Well, Draco your dorm is on the left, Hermione, yours is on the right. And one more thing…I know you two aren't the best of friends, but all of the professors and myself have all agreed that you two were the best for this position. So please, at least try to make an effort to be civil with each other. You'll find the first thing you'll need to do as Heads on the table there. That's all for now, I shall see you both in the morning. Good night."

After that, Dumbledore made his way out of the room and Hermione walked over to the round table and picked up the parchment.

"I thought he would never leave." She heard Malfoy say, but she ignored him and continued reading. The first thing they had to do was meet up with the new Prefects and talk to them about their duties.

Hermione looked over at Malfoy, reluctantly speaking to him and informing him what they had to do. He merely shrugged in return, seeming a little annoyed.

"Fine, let's just get this over with. That way you can return to your little boyfriend, the weasel as fast as possible. I know it must be unbearable for the two of you to be apart for this long."

The muscles in Hermione's jaw clenched as her eyes narrowed when she turned her head to look back at Malfoy. They weren't even five minutes in to their positions as Heads and he was already back to insulting her and her friends.

"It's really none of your business Malfoy, but_ Ron_ isn't my boyfriend."

Draco clearly saw the anger in her eyes over his comment, but he only smirked and continued to look at her coolly. Emotions were your true enemy, anyone could take them and twist them into weapons to use against you. And he was real good at that. He always knew exactly how to hit people where it hurt the most, and he especially liked doing it to people he didn't like...which was just about everyone.

"Ah," Draco began. "But that not because it's your choice is it? Do you think he's too shy to admit his feelings so he began snogging Brown instead? Or maybe it's because he hasn't even noticed that you're a girl yet?"

As Draco began laughing, Hermione's eyes flared with rage as she began thinking about sixth year, and how deeply hurt she was when Ron began dating Lavender Brown. She became so angry that without even thinking, Hermione stepped forward and slapped Malfoy across the face.

After that, the only sound that could be heard in the room was the crackling of the fire.

She'd seen him angry before, but never like this. She faltered and almost apologized under the force of the fury of the glare he directed towards her. However a few seconds later, she felt the clasp of Malfoy's hand over her wrist as he pushed her against the wall.

"Malfoy, let go!" Hermione pleaded and flinched in pain when his grip on her wrist only got harder. She was actually afraid that he could break it.

"Listen to me, you filthy little mudblood." Draco spat, looking her straight in the eye. "You got away with it once, but if you _ever _hit me again, that will be the last thing you ever do. Do you understand me, mudblood?"

He squeezed her wrist once last time before releasing her. Hermione however only glared up at him, the only thing she heard was the awful name he called her.

"Don't you dare call me that, Malfoy! Don't you dare!"

"Why not, mudblood?"

"Because it's wrong!" Hermione shouted, her eyes wide, and her face contorting with…pain? "It's wrong, and cruel, and it just makes people prejudice against muggle borns without thinking!"

She looked like she wanted to keep going but ran out of steam. Hermione gulped down a deep breath, quivering slightly before rubbing her now sore wrist.

Malfoy however, just gave her once last look before stepping away and heading out of the dormitory. Hermione shut her eyes and took a deep breath, ashamed of herself that she had given in to her temper, just like Malfoy had wanted, and given in so quickly.

When she was finally composed, Hermione walked out of the dorm as well and began heading down the hall to where the Prefects were waiting for them. Malfoy was leaning against the wall when she arrived, and the others were in a big group, waiting for one of them to speak.

"Hello to all of you." Hermione finally began. "My name is Hermione Granger, and I'm the Head Girl."

They all nodded their heads, some of the girls smiled back at her. There was a pause, a few seconds of awkward silence as they were now looking at Malfoy, waiting for him to introduce himself. However, Malfoy only glared at them in return.

"You all know who I am." Draco snapped.

Hermione saw most of the Prefect's eyes widen after his comment and she really rolled her eyes. Instead, she shrugged her shoulders and started a quick round of introductions before an explanation of Prefect duties.

She spoke clearly and proudly while keeping eye contact with them all. Hermione was always the responsible one, the know it all, but she had become much more confident in herself over the years, the time she spent in Dumbledore's Army had especially helped her.

Malfoy didn't interrupt her while she talked, not even once. Hermione however could feel his eyes watching her, but she did her best to ignore it and not turn around. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of unsettling her again.

"Now, if there are any questions, don't hesitate to ask either of us, or one of the professors."

When she was all finished Hermione said good night to them all and turned to head back to her dorm. Draco was already feet ahead of her as began walking and stared at his back.

Hermione couldn't stand him already, and was giving this a week, and if the problems with Malfoy continued, she was giving up her role. She thought she could handle it at first, but not now. Hermione wasn't going to spend a year with the boy who constantly reminded her each year of her weak lineage and inferior status.

This year was going to be different.


	6. Strength

Hermione was _not_ having a good day.

That morning, she'd woken up late, didn't get enough time to eat breakfast, got ten points taken from Gryffindor by Snape for 'talking out of turn' in potions class and above all else, her wrist still hurt because of the grip Malfoy had on it last night. She couldn't write with her right hand and was having a difficult time of trying to write with her left on class work she had to do.

Currently sitting in the student lounge, Hermione kept turning her head to look over at the entrance, waiting for Harry and Ron to come in. While she never said anything, ever since Ron started dating Lavender, and Harry began to date Ginny, she couldn't help but feel a little…alone.

After a few more minutes, a familiar voice got her attention.

"Hey, Hermione." Ron greeted as he and Harry sat down on either side of her on the couch. "Good work getting points taking from us."

She turned her head to give him and look and Ron stopped grinning.

"I was just kidding."

"How was the first night of having to share a dorm with Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"That bad, huh?"

Hermione nodded but didn't stop from her task. Harry then looked down at the parchment she was writing on and noticed that the words on it were very messy and hard to read. He then realized she was writing with the wrong hand.

"Why are you trying to write with your left hand?"

"No reason." Hermione responded.

Ron noticed it too.

"What's wrong? Got a cramp in the other hand or something?" He asked and gently took her arm. Before Hermione could pull it away he lifted up the sleeve of her robe and saw that a bruise on her wrist added a rainbow on her normally healthy colored skin. Anger then appeared on Ron's face as he looked over at Harry.

"Do you want to kill him or should I?"

He then got up to his feet but Hermione quickly jumped up as well and stood in his way.

"No, Ron, don't!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm fine, just forget about it okay? I don't want you to get in trouble because of him."

"Why don't you just report this to Dumbledore? Malfoy will lose his position because of this and you won't have to deal with him anymore."

Hermione sighed as she looked down at her shoes. She didn't want to admit that she had provoked Malfoy into grabbing her in the first place. She was as much to blame for what happened last night as he was.

"I can handle this myself, Ronald." Hermione finally said while looking back up at him. "I don't need a bodyguard."

Gathering her things, Hermione then walked out of the lounge leaving Ron and Harry to themselves.

"She's nuts." Ron muttered while shaking his head and sitting back down.

While Hermione walked around the corner and down the hall, the sound of an intense argument going on suddenly got her attention. A small group of students had gathered around two second years, one Slytherin, one Ravenclaw and they were unleashing a fury of expletives at each other that would have made Ron proud.

"You are such an arshole!" The Ravenclaw boy yelled.

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" The Slytherin smirked, sounding amused.

At this, the other boy pulled out his wand and pointed it firmly at the Slytherin, looking like he wanted nothing more than to hex the other boy into oblivion. But before anything could happen, Hermione quickly disarmed him.

_"Expelliarmus!"_

When the wand shot out of the boy's hand, everyone looked back at her and Hermione smiled to herself, remembering her position of power.

"Dueling? I believe that is an activity that is strictly prohibited between lessons. Ten points from Ravenclaw, and ten points from Slytherin."

"Hey, you can't do that!" The Slytherin boy snarled.

"Actually, I can." Hermione responded and flashed them all the 'Head Girl' badge she had pinned to her robe. "Now let's go everyone, clear the hall, back to your dorms."

As the crowd cleared, Hermione walked up the stairs heading to her dormitory, the back and forth battle in her head of whether of not she could handle being the Head Girl continued.

One minute Hermione was telling herself to give up the position because she didn't want to deal with Malfoy on a daily basis because this was her last year at Hogwarts, and the next minute she was telling herself that she could handle it and not to let Malfoy drive her away from something she worked so hard for. Something that she should be so proud of for achieving.

As she walked up each step, memories of past years kept flooding back to her, and they weren't good ones. They were memories of the times Malfoy had used that awful word…mudblood to hurt her.

To Malfoy, mudbloods were lower than scum, useless in every way, a disgrace to the magical world. Hermione always wanted to prove Malfoy, and others who thought that way wrong. She wanted to prove that being a muggle born witch was just as equal to a pureblood one, neither one being better than the other.

When she arrived in front of the portrait, Hermione said the password and it opened up and she walked inside to see Draco sitting on the couch, apparently drawing. She ignored him and she went straight to her room to change from her school robe into regular clothes.

As Draco continued drawing, the only activity that gave him any peace nowadays, his eyes kept going back to Granger's closed door and he wondered if he should apologize for hurting her last night.

Although he would never admit it, he felt a little guilty from the way he grabbed her the other night. She was a girl after all, even if she was a mudblood.

Just then, the door opened back up and Hermione stepped out of the room.

"Are you ready to go patrolling tonight?" She asked.

Draco looked up from his pad, looking a little confused.

"What?"

"One of the duties of the heads is to patrol the hallways to make sure no one sneaks out after hours. I'm not doing it tonight, I finished all my other important tasks," she said levelly, giving Malfoy a challenging look as she sat down on one of the empty chairs, placing her legs over the side.

Draco narrowed his eyes before standing up. Hermione smiled a little as she saw the look of annoyance on his face.

"Fine."

A few seconds later, Draco left the room to go patrol the halls, Hermione sighed in relief as she turned and warmed herself at the fireplace. And right then and there, she made up her mind, finally deciding what she was going to do once and for all.

Hermione was going to remain Head Girl, no matter how bad things got with Malfoy.

She would not quit.


	7. Lifeline

Shooting up in bed with his arm outstretched, and his hand grasping at the air, Draco was looking around the room he was in wide-eyed before taking a deep breath as he looked over his surroundings, quickly remembering where he was. After he got done patrolling the halls last night, Draco arrived back at his dorm to get some sleep but once again only lied awake for hours with his eyes open. Seconds, minutes, hours stretched before him as his mind wouldn't let him drift off into blissful dreams.

Although he was overcome with exhaustion, Draco threw the covers off himself and prepared for another day of lessons. His first class being potions with Snape, the only class he could remotely tolerate.

When Draco arrived at the classroom he caught the eye of Snape before sitting down at his table. Snape on the other hand noticed that Draco was acting a little odd. Yesterday in potions he looked very uncomfortable, especially when he made eye contact with him.

He probably knew that Draco was still trying to get over the memories of having to spend time with the Dark Lord, and of what the Dark Lord was teaching him and making him do. Snape knew that a person couldn't just get to forget about it overnight.

Snape was concerned, and he planned on talking with Draco today. He felt a little sorry for the boy, knowing he had no one else to go to. Hopefully, he would feel comfortable in talking to him.

When all the students had arrived and were seated, Snape addressed them all about the potion they would be working on today.

"Everyone get your ingredients ready, you will working in groups of two for this assignment." Snape said as he looked around the room and smiled to himself, seeing that the number of students was odd because apparently one person was out sick today. "This is a complicated potion, and if any of you mess it up I promise you, you will not like the consequences. So with that being said, I will be picking the groups."

Snape then saw the disappointed look on most of the student's faces and smirked.

He began putting the groups together, making sure to put Ron with a different partner than Harry knowing the two were friends, and paring Harry up with Crabbe, hoping that between the two boys poor potions skills, something would go wrong.

"Longbottom, you will be working with Granger." Neville nodded nervously and got up from his table to go sit next to her. "I hope that will decrease the chances of us getting killed by at least half."

The Slytherin's in the class laughed at that, even Draco smiled a little. Snape finally finished pairing up people, purposely making sure that Draco's name was not said.

"Alright everyone, you may begin making your potions. You have forty minutes." After he announced that the students all began working, except one.

Draco slowly raised his hand in the air, getting the professor's attention.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape asked.

"Sir, I don't have a partner."

Snape raised an eyebrow, pretending to look surprised. He then started to look around, glancing at the other groups.

"Well…it seems that every one else is paired up. This potion is too difficult to work on by yourself, and it's too important for you not to do it." Snape then rubbed his chin. "And if you were to be added into a group, I believe that would only complicate things."

Draco sighed a little in frustration while Ron chuckled a little under his breath at the position Malfoy had been put in. Ron looked over and made eye contact with Harry, grinning at the other boy.

"I thought Malfoy was his favorite." He mouthed quietly.

"I don't think it would hurt if I helped you out with this potion, Mr. Malfoy. Bring your things up to my desk." Snape finally decided.

The rest of the class looked up in shock that Malfoy was getting the potions master of all people, to help him with his potion. Draco smirked at them all while Ron turned back to Harry, the look of glee his face once had was replaced with a look of disbelief.

"He is." Harry mouthed back.

Ron narrowed his eyes as Draco strutted up to the front of the classroom before shaking his head and muttered something under his breath, something about 'bloody Snape and his favoritism.'

Draco and Snape both put their gloves on as Draco kept turning around and flashing smirks at the class.

"So, how are things going as Head Boy?" Snape asked as he prepared the ingredients.

"Not too bad." Draco replied.

"You look tired. Are you getting enough sleep?"

"Uh, last night I had to patrol the halls for the first time. I guess I just had a hard time getting to sleep after getting done."

Snape nodded as he tired to think of some other way to get the young boy to talk. He took out and placed it in front of him, then pushed some roots towards him.

"Here, chop these up."

Draco stared down at the small knife for a second before picking it up and cutting the roots up carefully, just as Snape had asked. Suddenly, he began to hear the sound of his own voice in his head. A white flash then went before Draco's eyes.

_"My lord, I will serve you…" Draco's voice trembled a little, "As well as I can. I will do anything you ask."_

_The Dark Lord gazed upon him for a few second before pulling a long, sharp knife from his robe. Draco's eyes widened as he looked down at the blade. _

_"Now," Voldemort breathed in the merest hiss, "I must ask you to prove yourself Draco. Prove yourself to be worthy." _

_Voldemort then held out the knife for Draco to take. He hesitated for a second before reaching out and taking it into his hand. _

_"You must prove you will do what is necessary. You must prove you are willing to take a life."_

Snape looked at Draco when his hand started shaking rapidly. After a few more seconds, he lost his grip on the knife and it fell to the floor, causing the rest of the class to look up when they heard the noise.

"Come with me, Mr. Malfoy." Snape said while gently taking his wrist and leading him out of the classroom. "The rest of you get back to work."

"I'm sorry, Professor." Draco said after Snape shut the door.

"What happened? What's wrong?"

"I don't know I just got some kind of weird flash. It was a memory of…"

"The Dark Lord?"

Draco nodded.

"Listen, Draco." Snape sighed. "Why don't you go back to your dorm, try to get some sleep. I let you make up this work some other time."

"Thanks, Severus."

Back inside the classroom, Harry kept looking back at the door wondering when the professor was coming back. He thought that something might have went wrong with his potion and having Crabbe as a partner was no help at all.

"When is Snape coming back? I need to ask him something." Harry asked, out loud.

"I'll help you, Harry." Hermione said while getting out her seat and heading over to his table.

"Snape probably took Malfoy to a closet to snog." Ron joked. "They're practically having an affair with each other."

Ron then froze when a familiar voice said calmly behind him;

"See me after class, Mr. Weasley."


	8. Nightmare

Currently waiting outside the potions classroom, Hermione and Harry paced back and forth waiting for their friend to come out. After a few more minutes, Ron opened the door and stepped out into the hall with a depressed look on his face.

"Well?" Harry asked.

"One hundred points from Gryffindor and I have to write lines in detention." Ron sighed.

"How many lines do you have to write?"

"One thousand."

"Tough break, mate." Harry said while patting Ron on the back before the three of them started walking down the hallway together, heading to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Well, as much as I hate to admit it Ronald." Hermione began. "I think you got what you deserved."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You can't make such an insinuation about a professor, even if you don't like him! You know you could have been expelled for saying something like that?"

"It was just a joke." Ron muttered as they entered Professor Slughorn's classroom.

"Even so, it was still inappropriate." Hermione responded before going over to her seat next to Luna.

After the next few hours went by and classes were all finished for the day, Hermione agreed to take Harry and Ron back to her dorm to show them around. Since Malfoy hadn't shown up to his other classes, Hermione figured he probably went back to the dorm and was hopefully in his bedroom, asleep. When they arrived at the portrait, she said the password and they all stepped inside.

While Harry and Ron surveyed the elegance of the room, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief that Malfoy was in his room after all. She hoped he remained in there until the three decided to go down to the Great Hall.

"It's nice." Harry finally said while taking a seat on the sofa.

"Yeah, too bad Malfoy is head boy." Ron agreed while sitting down next to him and helping himself to a couple of Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans being kept on a glass jar on top of the coffee table. "We could hang out here all the time. Us, Ginny, and Lavender without anyone else around."

Hermione nodded but flinched a little when she heard Lavender's name. She sat down in a chair and they talked and told jokes for a little while before finally decided to head down for supper.

As they left, back in the bedroom Draco was tossing and turning in his sleep, twisted up in his sheets. Last night for the brief time he was asleep, he dreamed of walking over a mountain under a blood red sky. Tonight however, Draco wasn't having a dream…it was a memory that was coming back to him.

XXXXXX

Clutching the knife in his hand he had been giving by the Dark Lord while being led out of the cave with two Death Eaters and Bellatrix by his side, Draco looked up at the sky littered with stars that night when they walked out to the outside. He couldn't help but smile a little, it was the first time he had seen the sky since he'd been brought here. However, the moment didn't last long when a black cloth was suddenly draped around his eyes.

"What's going on!" He yelled.

"Relax, Draco." Bellatrix whispered as she tied the knot, effectively blindfolding her nephew. "This is just part of the test."

Bellatrix then nodded at the Death Eaters and they took Draco's shoulders and began guiding him down to the forest so that the young boy could kill for the very first time.

Arriving in front of the forest, Draco was then placed in front of where his prey was tied up to one of the trees. He swallowed nervously several times, knowing what he was expected to do.

"Go on Draco, he's right in front of you." Bellatrix said.

Draco gripped the knife in his hand harder, so hard his knuckles were turning white as small beads of sweat began to appear on his forehead.

He had to do it.

He had to.

If he didn't, the Dark Lord would think he was weak and would probably torture him…or even kill him, like he did his father. Draco reached out with his free hand before immediately pulling back when he thought he felt hair.

"Do it, Draco!"

Taking a deep breath, Draco finally raised the knife before lunging forward and plunging the tip of the blade into whatever was in front of him. The knife made a squishing noise as it made contact with flesh. Draco pulled it out and then began stabbing it rapidly, his breathing getting heavier as he continued. His face, hands, and chest were being pelted by a warm liquid. He knew right away that it was blood.

After several more blows with the knife, two hands gripped Draco's shoulders and pulled him backwards a few steps. The blindfold was then taken off him and Draco's eyes widened when he saw what it was that he had just stabbed.

It was not a person, it was a wolf…a giant wolf tied to one of the trees. And it had to have been dead already because it didn't make a sound while Draco was stabbing it. He didn't even think about why the thing didn't make any noise.

Right then, he understood why he was blindfolded and what kind of test this way. It was a test of his mental state…to see if he really would kill another human being. That's what Draco thought he was stabbing, and what scared him the most was the viciousness he had done so after he got started. He guessed he really could kill if he had to.

Draco started to feel sick as he looked down at himself, seeing the blood that covered him. He then turned to look at Bellatrix who was smiling at him.

"The Dark Lord will be pleased." She said. "Congratulations Draco, now the real training can begin."

XXXXXX

Draco suddenly bolted upright from his bed, eyes wide open and his hair sticking up in all direction as though he's been violently turning in his sleep. For a moment that seemed to last forever, he couldn't breath.

Finally, Draco threw his legs over his bed and placed his feet in a pair of bedroom slippers. He looked over at the clock and groaned when he saw it was ten-thirty. Not only did he miss dinner but he missed some 'head boy' duties. He would probably hear about it from Granger in the morning.

Shivers went through his body as he exited his room and headed over to the couch, sitting down in front of an unlit fireplace.

Placing his hands behind his head and shutting his eyes, Draco tried to clear his mind, tried to forget about the nightmare he just had when a sound got his attention.

_Meow._

What the hell was that?

Draco opened his eyes to see a large ball of orange fur making its way towards him. The cat stopped in front of him, studying him with curious eyes.

"Go away." Draco grumbled as he glared down at the cat, but it didn't budge. "I said go away."

The cat then jumped up onto the couch and started climbing on Draco's lap. Draco stared down at the cat and frowned as it sat on his lap, than began purring and nuzzling its head against his limp hand which he quickly took away.

As the cat looked up at him, Draco out of curiosity turned its collar around so he could see the wording on it.

'Crookshanks.'

'What a stupid name for a cat.' Draco thought. As Crookshanks continued purring, Draco rolled his eyes and slowly placed his hand down on the cats head and began lightly scratching it.

"You must be the most miserable cat on the planet." He said quietly as he now began to pet Crookshanks back. "Having Granger as your owner…I can't imagine."

As he continued, unbeknownst to him, the other bedroom door was slightly open and Hermione was watching the scene before her with a slight smile on her face. After looking on for couple more seconds, she backed up and gently shut her door, not letting Malfoy know that she had seen him petting her cat.


	9. Occult

"Are you serious?"

Hermione was sitting across from Ginny at the Great Hall having their morning breakfast. She had just gotten done telling her friend what she saw Malfoy doing last night and Ginny seemed just as surprised as she had been.

"So he actually _pet_ Crookshanks?" Ginny asked. "You mean he didn't cut its head off and drink the blood?"

"Yes Ginny." Hermione responded. "Malfoy was being all…gentle with him."

"So, how are you gonna blackmail him with this?"

"What?"

"You know, maybe you could get him do all your patrolling for the rest of the year. It's just too bad you didn't get a picture of this, it'd be a lot easier."

"No, Ginny. I'm not going to tell him what I saw. It was just…" Hermione searched for the right word. "Weird seeing him with Crookshanks last night. That's all."

When they were done, Hermione said goodbye to Ginny before heading to potions class. When she walked in, she looked over and made brief eye contact with Malfoy before sitting down at her table. The class sat and waited for Snape to come in. After a few minutes went by, they all looked at each other in confusion wondering why he hadn't come in yet. It wasn't normal for him to be late. Suddenly, to their surprise Professor McGonagall walked through the door.

"Good morning students." Professor McGonagall greeted as she walked to the front of the classroom. "Professor Snape had a…situation to deal with, so I will be filling in for him today."

Ron smiled and celebrated quietly to himself, happy that he wouldn't have to start his detentions today.

"Professor Snape is assigning you all potions projects to do."

"Damn," Ron muttered under his breath. He should have known not to get too happy about this.

"You will be working in groups of two." McGonagall continued. "He originally was going to have it due by the end of the week, but I managed to convince him to give you all an extra two weeks. I know being seventh years, how busy you can get."

"Thank you, Professor." Harry said.

McGonagall smiled and nodded before beginning to explain the project.

"Each pair will be given a potion to research. You will research the ingredients to your potion, compile your information to describe in detail, exactly how your potions works. You will also include a detailed description of exactly how to obtain your ingredients in their natural setting. Then, on the due date each pair will make the potion and present their findings to the class. Any questions?"

When nobody raised their hand, she went right ahead and began pairing people up. Harry with Ron, Crabbe with Goyle, Neville with Seamus. Then, when she looked at Draco he raised his eyebrow when he saw that the professor had a slight smirk on her face.

"Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall began. "You will be working with Ms. Granger."

Draco shut his eyes and sighed after she said that.

Hermione on the other hand just gathered her bag and got up without a word or protest and made her way over to Malfoy's desk. When he looked over at her his eyes met hers with a look of disgust.

Hermione saw Harry watching her and Malfoy with a worried expression. She rolled her eyes for him to see and Harry, being the good friend that was, smiled back at her.

As she sat down, Malfoy scooted away as if Hermione was a dirty dog. Upon seeing this, Hermione smiled a little and sat closer to Malfoy than was necessary. She couldn't help but feel some satisfaction as Malfoy was forced to sit at the edge of the table to keep away from Hermione.

Malfoy then must have noticed the smile on Hermione's face as the blonde's eyes widened in realization of what she had been doing before they narrowed and he scooted his chair back to its original place.

Professor McGonagall then went around the room, handing slips of parchment to each table, each saying which potion the group would create. When she reached Draco and Hermione's table she put the slip down and both teens leaned forward to see which one they got.

Polyjuice Potion.

Hermione raised her eyebrows when she saw the words on the parchment before a slight smile came to her face as she remembered brewing it up in second year. Malfoy then noticed she was smiling again.

"What's so funny, beaver teeth?"

"Nothing." She responded, ignoring the insult.

For the next half hour all the groups went to work in researching their potion, Draco and Hermione both did their own work while saying nothing to each other. Ever so often while writing something down, Hermione couldn't help but take a quick glance at Malfoy. Now they not only had to share a dorm together as head boy and head girl, they had to be partners on a assignment for the next two weeks.

As the class came to an end and everyone went for the door, a thought went through Hermione's mind. She needed to say something to him. She didn't want their dislike for each other to end up affecting this project, and possibly get her a bad grade.

Instead of going to her next class, Hermione followed him down the hall and got his attention.

"Malfoy, wait a minute."

"What do you want?" Draco snapped when he turned around.

"Listen, I know we both don't want to see any more of each other than we already do, but the fact is we're both heads, and now we're partners on a project. Maybe we should at least_ try _to make an effort to be civil to each other?"

"Why would I want to do that?"

Hermione looked down at the floor and bit her tongue, trying not to lose her temper. God, he was unbelievable.

"Because Malfoy." She said slowly. "I think that the giving each other dirty looks and insults every day is becoming real old, real fast."

Draco smirked as he leaned against the stone wall with one shoulder.

"So, how do you propose we be civil each other?"

"Well…maybe we could start off by calling each other by our first names."

He pretended to think for a moment before looking her right in the eye.

"No."

Hermione raised her chin and narrowed her eyes. But before she could say anything, Draco spoke again.

"Let's get make things clear, Granger. I don't like you and you don't like me. But I'm not going to do anything to try to screw up my own grade just because I have to work with you. So how about you do your part, and I'll do mine."

After he turned and walked away, Hermione could only shake her head before taking a deep breath and heading to her next class. After seeing how Malfoy was with Crookshanks last night, she actually thought for a moment that there was a human side to him after all.

How wrong she was.


	10. Incinerator

Over the next several days, Draco and Hermione were handling being partnered together as well as they possibly could. They both worked hard to get the project done early so they didn't have to worry about it anymore, and so it didn't take up any more of their time.

Draco had managed to persuade Hermione in to working on it down in the potions classroom. When asked why there, he merely responded that it was quiet, and nobody would bother them since it was Snape's classroom. But the truth was Draco wanted to be down there so he could taunt Ron, who was being forced to write lines in detention.

On the first day, he had 'accidentally' bumped into Ron's table, knocking over a jar of ink on his parchment, forcing him to start over in writing his lines. The second day, Draco kept shooting spitballs at Ron whenever Hermione wasn't looking. The best thing about it was that Ron couldn't say a word or he would probably get further punishment from Snape. He wasn't exactly in the potion masters good graces right now.

Currently waiting outside of his dorm for Hermione to get out of the bathroom, Draco smiled to himself as he thought about what he would to the Weasel today.

Right then, a familiar voice got his attention.

"Hey, Draco."

He looked up to see Pansy walking towards him.

"Where have you been? Why have you been spending the last two evenings with that mudblood?"

"We're partners for a potion project. McGonagall put us together."

"Can't you get Professor Snape to change it?"

"I can't, everyone else is already paired up. At least I'm bound to get a good grade with her as a partner." He detected a glint of jealousy in Pansy's eyes. "I mean, all she does is study."

"Are you going to work on it tonight too?"

"Yes."

Pansy sighed a little in frustration.

"You know Draco, you haven't been up to the Slytherin dorm since school started."

"Well what do you want, I've been busy." Draco responded, his voice sharp. "And I just want to get this stupid project over with. We're almost done."

"Alright." Pansy then stood on her tip toes and gave Draco a kiss on the cheek. "I guess I'll see you some other time."

After she left, a few moments later Hermione walked out of the room and the two of them went down the staircase without saying a word to each other until they reached the potions classroom.

"Hi Ron." Hermione smiled when she walked in saw him sitting at one of the tables.

He looked behind him and smiled back when he saw her but it quickly turned into a scowl when he saw Malfoy was here as well...again.

"How many more lines to do have left?"

"About thirty." Ron answered.

"Weasley, get back to work." Snape said as he walked out of the storeroom and sat down at his desk, beginning to grade papers.

Ron gritted his teeth and went back to writing 'I must show respect to my professor' while Draco and Hermione went over to another table and got out all their previous work from the past few days. Over the next ten minutes, everyone was in the room working quietly as Ron finally was one sentence away from being finished. His hand was cramping but he didn't care as he quickly wrote the last one and got up to take the parchment to Snape.

"Here, I'm finally finished." Ron said and then turned to leave.

"Wait a minute, Mr. Weasley." Snape said. "We have a little problem here."

Ron turned around with his brows furrowed.

"What is it?"

"You left out a word."

"I did?"

Ron walked over to the professor's desk as Snape took out the slip of paper he showed him when he first came down here. The slip read 'I must show utmost respect to my professor.' Ron narrowed his eyes as he looked up at Snape.

"I don't remember seeing the word 'utmost' there."

"Well, it was. I'm afraid you are going to have to write the lines over again."

"What?"

At this, Draco started laughing to himself at Weasley's voice cracking. Hermione however frowned at her friend's predicament.

"You wrote the lines wrong, you'll have to do it again." Snape said while getting out more parchment for Ron to write on, but the boy refused to take it.

"No."

Snape glared at him.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not writing the lines again. The word utmost was not there the first time you showed me that slip of paper. You changed it or something."

"Mr. Weasley, I assure you I didn't. And if you don't re-write the lines, you will be expelled."

A bright smile then appeared on Draco's face while Hermione's eyes widened in horror. She kept saying the words 'please take it Ron' in her head. Fortunately, he did and began walking slowly back to his table. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and looked back down at her work when a slam caused her to jump and look back up. Ron had thrown the papers down and was now glaring at Snape.

"Fine! I'll just be expelled then! I don't need this bloody school anyway, Fred and George had the right idea when they left this place."

"Ron, please!" Hermione yelled. "Be rational!"

"Very well, Mr. Weasley." Snape said while getting up. "Come with me."

Hermione looked on helplessly as Snape led Ron out of the classroom. As soon as the door shut, Draco leaped out his chair with his arms up, looking happier than Hermione had ever seen.

"I can't believe it! No more Weasel!" Draco grinned, he hadn't been this happy in months. "I think I could actually kiss you, Granger."

Hermione on the other hand was now giving him a death glare.

"You are so hateful!" She yelled.

"Oh, please. He'd be doing the same thing if it where me in his position and you know it. Imagine if I said that McGonagall and Potter were having an affair with each other, I would have been expelled on the spot."

Hermione wanted to respond but she couldn't. She didn't want to admit that Malfoy was probably right about that. Now the anger she felt towards him was turning into a sick feeling in her gut as the closer Snape got into taking Ron to Dumbledore's office, the closer he got to being expelled.

"Why do you even care anyway?" Draco finally asked.

"Because Ron is my friend! I know you wouldn't understand that because you don't have any, but if he gets expelled his whole future is in jeopardy!"

"Oh please. We all know that Weasley's whole goal in life is to become Potter's Groom of the Stool. He doesn't need to graduate from Hogwarts to get that job."

Hermione's face twisted a little, but she didn't even bother asking what in the world a 'Groom of the Stool' was.

"Please Malfoy." She begged. "You can talk to Snape, convince him that if Ron apologizes to you and him in front of the class than things will be forgotten about. He shouldn't have to write all those lines over just because he forgot one word!"

"What's in it for me?"

Hermione sighed.

"What do you want?"

Draco thought for a moment.

"Well, I hate having to go on hallway patrol. So how about you do it until Christmas break?"

"Deal." Hermione said. That was a long time to have to cover for him, but she didn't care.

"Alright." Draco then walked out of the potions classroom, not believing that he was going to convince Snape not to have Ron expelled while Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.


	11. Backlash

Sitting at her table in potions class, Hermione looked on as Ron stood in front of the class and issued an apology to both Professor Snape and Malfoy for what he said about them a few days ago. She had told him before class started that the apology better be sincere or he would find himself on the hot seat once again.

Although it was probably hard for her to be unbiased, Hermione thought that Ron was saying all the right things. When he finished Snape looked at him for a moment before nodding his head.

"Have a seat, Mr. Weasley."

Ron sighed in relief before walking back to the table he shared with Harry, passing Hermione along the way and smiling at her. She smiled back at him and then Snape began speaking, instructing them all about today's assignment.

As soon as class was over, Ron met up with Hermione and the two walked down the hall together, Ron thanking her for getting him out of trouble. When he calmed down yesterday, Ron quickly realized that he didn't really want to be expelled from Hogwarts. Not only would he miss the last year he had of hanging out with all his friends, but his parents probably would have killed him if they had found out about this.

"Thanks 'Mione," he began. "I know you probably had to make some kind of deal with Malfoy to get me out of this, so I owe you one. Anytime you need anything, just let me know."

"Don't worry about it." Hermione smiled. "Listen, you, me, and Harry haven't done anything together since school started up again, why don't we-"

"Actually, Harry and I already made plans. But we'll hang out some other time, okay?"

Hermione hid her disappointment as she nodded.

"Yeah. That's fine."

"Listen." Ron began, as if he sensed how she felt. "I know the three of us aren't doing as much together as we use to, I guess it's because we're all really swamped right now. We'll find time."

They smiled at each other before walking off into seperate directions.

A few hours later, she met up with Ginny and the two of them headed to the Great Hall for lunch, both had just finished up talking about Ron and how he had to apologize to the two people he completely despised in this school. They both laughed, thinking about how much that must have wounded his pride.

"Oh my god, Herbology is killing me." Ginny groaned while pulling a plate of food towards her. "I don't know why I chose that stupid class to begin with."

"Ginny, if you're having trouble you could have just asked me." Hermione responded. "In fact, I'm free this afternoon if you want to bring your work up to my dorm."

"Nah." Ginny said while shaking her head. "I don't want to worry about it. Plus, Harry and I have a double date with Ron and Lavender. We're heading to Hogsmeade."

Hermione looked up at her friend in surprise after she said that. Ron had told her that he and Harry had plans but he never said anything about going on a double date. Ginny then noticed the look on her friends face.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course." Hermione shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Ginny kept looking at her for a few seconds before going back to eating her food while Hermione tried not to be upset about this whole thing. She didn't care that the four of them were going out together but…she hated feeling left out. Hermione also hated the feeling that Lavender had taken her place in the group.

It was dumb, but it was how she felt sometimes. She couldn't help it. Maybe things would be better or at least different if she had a boyfriend. Then she wouldn't care that she wasn't hanging out with Harry and Ron as much as she use to.

Currently sitting in her dorm on the couch, Hermione read a book quietly to herself when a voice suddenly got her attention.

"Granger!"

Hermione looked up from her book for a second when she heard Malfoy's voice as he entered the room, not looking very happy.

"Where the hell were you? I had to cover a study group because you weren't around to do it."

She then realized what he meant. Ever since school started Hermione, as one of the heads agreed to take part in a study group for the first year students since she knew Malfoy would never do it, and she didn't mind helping out. The group met together every Friday but she must have forgotten about it.

"I have better things to do with my time." Draco kept going.

"You know what Malfoy, it was a half hour of your life. Relax." Hermione responded and went back to her book.

"Well, studying may be_ your_ life, you little mud-"

"What were you going to say, huh?" Hermione snapped as she stood up and faced him. "Mudblood? Why is it always mudblood with you!"

Now Draco was staring at her wide eyed, looking a little surprised by her sudden outburst, but she didn't care. Hermione wasn't in the mood for this, and right then she started getting six years of frustration off her chest. What could he do to her, treat her worse than he already did?

"Let me ask you this, Malfoy. If I had told you that I was a pureblood back in first year, would you have treated me any different or treated me the same way? What is it about me that you hate so much? Is it my friends, my hair, my teeth, the way I talk?"

As she listed the things he had made fun of her over the years, tears of anger started rolling down her cheeks. Hermione turned her head slightly and wiped her eyes, hating the fact that he had made her feel like this again. After taking a breath, trying to calm herself down she began speaking again.

"I never did anything to you, Malfoy." Hermione said, her voice a lot quieter now. "So why do you hate me so much?"

Draco had his mouth open a little from her outburst as he thought about her question, not expecting it at all. He looked at the girl in front of him now, compared to how she was six years ago. No longer was she an awkward, know it all with bushy hair, she was now a confident, young witch.

'She really has changed a lot.' Draco thought.

He began thinking about every time he has seen her, whether it was in class, hanging around Potter and Weasley or just studying either in the library or the Great Hall. While he would never admit it out loud, from the day she hit him back in third year, he realized she was stronger than she appeared. And even though he still didn't like her, he had to respect her for standing up to him.

Then he remembered that night of the Yule Ball, in their fourth year and that's when his attitude towards her changed. Draco suddenly heard the sound of Hermione's throat clearing angrily as she continued to wait for an answer to her question.

Draco's breath got caught in his throat as he came back to reality and looked at her again, seeing her arms crossed over her chest. His brain raced as he tried to think of something to say.

Hermione finally got sick of waited for a response and started walking to her room, shaking her head a little.

"Granger wait, just hear me out."

But she didn't stop and closed her door behind her. Draco let out a sigh as he looked down at the floor for a minute before turning around and heading to his own room.


	12. Unforgivables

_You must have the devil in you to succeed in any of the arts. _

In a silence that taunted the air of the room from beyond, Draco got out of bed not even knowing if it was morning or still night. He slowly made the short walk to the door and placed his hand on it, wondering when the Dark Lord would come to unlock it and let him out.

Draco gently grabbed the door knob, and to his shock he found that it was unlocked. The Dark Lord always kept the door locked ever since the first day he'd been brought here. He couldn't get out until he was let out.

He swallowed nervously as he realized that he could try to escape. Draco opened the door carefully and tiptoed across the hall, keeping in the shadows. He then began going down the staircase, one step at a time. He was concentrating so hard on being noiseless that a pop from down on the lower floor was like a firecracker being let off and he had to stop himself from leaping up in surprise.

Grabbing the rail of the staircase, Draco stopped as his breath caught in his throat, waiting to see if anyone would be coming up the stairs. His heart was pounding against his ribs as he kept listening. Finally, he heard a voice.

"You're late, Severus."

"My lord," came another voice, and Draco knew it well. It was the voice of the potions master of Hogwarts. "I was with Dumbledore and had to obtain his blessing before I could come here."

Voldemort let out a furious hiss in response.

"Had I not," Snape continued as if the Dark Lord had not responded at all. "I might have blown my cover. I could not appear to be eager to arrive at your side."

Draco slowly backed up until he was back on the second floor. He walked as quietly as he could until he was back in his room and shut the door, sitting back down on his bed. From downstairs, Voldemort continued looking at Snape with narrowed eyes until he finally spoke.

"You are very slippery, my friend. Come with me, I need to discuss a new assignment I have for you."

A few minutes went by before Draco looked up at the door when he felt the presence of someone on the other side. The door opened up and the Dark Lord stood in the doorway, a bemused look on his face.

"I suppose I forgot to lock you in last night." He began. "You weren't thinking about running away were you?"

"No, my lord." Draco responded.

"A wise choice, my boy." Another slight pause before the Dark Lord spoke again, this time releasing a sharp command. "Get up."

Scrambling to his feet, Draco followed the Dark Lord down the stairs to where Snape was waiting on the floor below.

"Severus will teach you all you need to know about Unforgivables." Voldemort said as the teacher and student looked at each other. "Get to work."

As the Dark Lord walked away, Snape motioned for Draco to follow him.

"So, what have you been doing since you arrived here?"

"I've been having Occlumency lessons with Bellatrix." Draco answered. "I think I've gotten pretty good at blocking my thoughts."

"Obviously you have, that's why the Dark Lord wants you to start learning something new."

The two then entered a different room inside the complex maze that was the lair of the Dark Lord.

"Do you have something you want to tell me, sir?"

"No." Snape responded. "I think you have something you want to tell me."

"I don't think-"

"We're alone, Draco. He won't hear you."

Draco looked down at the floor, feeling the potion masters stare but he was unable to meet his gaze. He then turned his head to stare at the wall, and kept moving his eyes until they were looking towards the ceiling.

"I don't understand why I was brought here. None of the other Death Eaters are anywhere close to my age, even the new ones. He treats me different than he does anyone else, he's actually rather…kind to me. He's introduced me to his pet snake, 'Nagini' I think her name was. We've even had tea together once. It's like he _wants_ me to like him…why?"

Snape cocked his head as he continued to look at his student, a little surprised by what he had just been told. He had never heard of the Dark Lord showing any type of fondness to anyone before.

"I really don't know why, Draco." Snape finally answered. "Maybe he sees something in you he doesn't see in anyone else. After all, you're Lucius Malfoy's son and Bellatrix Lestrange's nephew. Being a Death Eater is in your blood."

The young boy sighed as he closed his eyes for a moment. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be a Death Eater.

"Now," Snape spoke again, getting Draco's attention. "Let us begin. Can you tell me what is needed for the Cruciatus Cruse?"

"Um…"

Draco tried to think but his mind was drawing a blank. He had learned disarming and stunning spells and minor jinxes like the Leg-Locker curse and Jelly Legs. But he never thought about those curses that were forbidden by wizard law, the mere casting one which got a person put away in Azkaban for life.

"Sir, I don't know." He finally admitted. However, Snape didn't look frustrated at all by his answer.

"Unforgivable Curses require clear intention. They won't work unless you want, really want to cause pain. You have to mean it, and I will teach you how."

XXXXXX

Looking around the room he was in, Draco wondered where he was for a moment before he realized that he was in his dorm sitting on the couch. He looked down at his lap, seeing a quill and a pad of paper that he was drawing on; a knight fighting against a dragon that was breathing fire. He must have dosed off while waiting for Granger to come back.

Hermione was out doing her hallway patrolling, well she was covering for him because that was part of the deal they made in order to get Ron out of trouble.

Draco looked back at her door, hoping that he didn't miss her coming back in when he fell asleep and sighed in relief when he saw the door was still open. Yawning, he stretched out his arms as he continued to wait.

Just then, the portrait opened up and Hermione came walking into the room, looking tired and worn out.

When she came in, Draco got right to his feet and her eyes went to the floor as she ignored the fact he was standing there. She started walking, attempting to go to her bedroom when Draco stepped in her way.

"Malfoy." Hermione began, her eyes still staring at the floor. "I'm really not in the mood."

"Just listen." Draco said. "I shouldn't have snapped at you earlier. I didn't mean to upset you."

She looked up at him, every bit of surprise she felt after hearing that was exhibited on her face.

"Is that your version of an apology?"

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Take it or leave it."

"Fine, I accept. Thank you for saying something, I guess."

"I also thought about what you said yesterday. Maybe it would be better if we were a little more civil to each other. We are the head boy and head girl after all."

Hermione cocked her head and looked at him. Was this really Draco Malfoy standing in front of her?

"Where is this coming from all of a sudden?" She asked.

Draco's mind raced for a response. He never would admit that seeing her tears this afternoon made him feel bad.

"I guess that after six years I've finally gotten bored of you." Draco finally answered.

Hermione smiled a little after that but she wasn't buying this one bit. Malfoy was planning to do something awful, something absolutely diabolical to her. A leopard never changes its spots.

"Fine." Hermione began. "But you'll forgive me if I remain skeptical of you, Malfoy. I don't think you have it in you to be civil to anyone."

After that, she walked past him and headed for her room but Draco only smirked at her words.

"Okay. Good night…Hermione."

That made her stop dead in her tracks. Hermione was so shocked at hearing her first name come from his mouth that she couldn't even move for a few seconds. Finally, she turned around but Draco had already stepped inside his room and closed the door behind him.


	13. Trust

Sitting at a table in the library of Hogwarts on a cool Saturday afternoon, Hermione had her eyes glued to the pages of a book in front of her. Lightly biting her lip, she a look of utmost concentration on her face as she continued to flip pages through the book so she could find what she needed and finish up this potions project. The past few days had been killing her. Not only did she have this to worry about, but she had assignments in other classes as well, had to cover for Malfoy's patrolling duties, and had to deal with other head girl duties of her own.

That's why she decided to go back to her 'bookwormish' ways and finish this project herself, even if that meant that Malfoy didn't do as much as the work as she did. As long as it was out of the way, she would be happy.

Hermione was so caught up in looking through the books she had in front of her that she didn't even notice that someone else had come into the library and was slowly making his way to where she was sitting.

She finally noticed when the person purposely bumped into the table, making her jump in surprise and having to bite on her tongue to stop from letting out a scream.

"Well, fancy meeting you here."

Hermione didn't have to look up to know who it was. She recognized the voice instantly.

Laughing a little to himself as he sat down across from her, Draco opened up the book he was carrying and got out a couple of other things he had brought with him as Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Working on the project." Draco answered. "It is _our_ project, remember?"

Hermione shook her head as she went back to work. Malfoy wasn't here to work on the project, he could care less. He just wanted to torment her.

_'Well, fine. Go right ahead.' _Hermione thought. She was getting this project done tonight no matter what.

But to her surprise, over the next few minutes Malfoy didn't say a word to her, not one cruel remark or insult. He just kept fliping through the pages of his book and writing stuff down. She couldn't help it, but it was slowly getting to her that Malfoy was seemingly finding the things they needed to make the potion while she couldn't find a thing. Finally, after another minute went by Hermione spoke up.

"What are you writing?"

Draco looked up at her, seeming annoyed that she interrupted him.

"I'm writing the ingredients we're going to need to make this potion."

"Where are you finding them? I've been looking for hours in every book I can find and I haven't found a single mention of any ingredients used for Polyjuice potion."

"They're all right here in Ancient Spells, Potions, and Charms." He answered coolly while holding up the book.

Hermione sighed a little in frustration.

"This potion is a lot harder to make than I remember."

"What do you mean by that? Have you made this before?"

"No." Hermione responded, a little too quickly. "Forget I said anything."

Draco watched her for a moment as she went back to looking through the book. He was a little amused by the gleam in her eye as she looked like she was thinking deep and hard. Shrugging, he went back to work himself only to shut his eyes in annoyance as she began speaking again.

"You know, maybe we should ask Madame Pince for help. She might know where to find all the ingredients."

"I don't need to ask for help." Draco snapped. "I can find it on my own."

"I was just a suggestion." Hermione responded, a little taken aback by the anger in his voice. "I don't want to fail this assignment because you're too stubborn to ask for help."

Slowly raising his head, the blonde boy glared at her. The look in Draco's eyes pierced right through Hermione.

"I have never failed at anything in my life, nor have I asked for help, and I'm not going to start now."

He went back to the book after that, flipping the pages with more force than necessary as Hermione stared at him for a few moments before going back to her own work.

She could tell that something was bothering Malfoy, although she never said anything and didn't really know what it could be. Whenever she saw him in the Great Hall during breakfast or dinner and when he was with Pansy, he didn't look happy to be around her at all. Hermione actually felt a strange sense of pity for him, deep down. Malfoy was such a cold person, he never hung out with anyone in the school and he didn't seem to have any close friends. What a lonely life he must have.

Hermione then shook the thoughts out of her head as she went back to work.

"Ha," Draco then said. "I found it."

"What now?"

"We need a Zante currant."

"Okay."

"You know," Draco began absentmindedly, "The name Zante currant comes from the Angelo-French phase "raisins de Corinthe". Zante is a recent prefix given to distinguish them from the Ribes berry currants."

Hermione just stared at him, looking confused. Not only by what he had just told her, but the fact that a minute ago he was enraged, and now he looked perfectly fine.

"I didn't know that." She finally responded.

"Ah, so you don't know everything."

"I never said I did."

"Well, I guess we have all the information we need."

"Yes. All we have to due is present our findings to the class on the due date."

Sighing with relief that the project was all done, Hermione started gathering all her things so she could head back to her dorm. Since it was Saturday she didn't have to worry about any head girl duties so she could relax tonight, maybe take a bath or something. As she walked out of the library and headed down the hallway, to her surpise Malfoy was right next to her and spoke up.

"So, what are your plans for the night?" He asked.

Hermione was suprised by his question.

"Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. I just couldn't help but notice that you aren't as attached to the hip with Potter and the Weasel as you use to be."

"Believe it or not Malfoy, Harry, Ron, and I have our own lives. We aren't together every minute of every day."

"Yeah, and when did that start? When they got girlfriends?"

Hermione clenched her fist and Draco smirked, knowing he hit a nerve.

"And what about you?" She responded, heatedly. "From what I've seen, you don't look too happy being around Pansy."

Draco didn't respond as they stepped in front of the portrait to their dorm. Hermione said the password and they stepped inside. She was about to head to her room when Malfoy's voice stopped her.

"So, I'm headed to Hogsmeade tonight. Want to come along?"

Hermione looked back at him after he said that, looking as shocked as she did the other day when he called her by her first name. She quickly found her voice.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Because you're the only one here. And I've got the feeling you've got nothing better to do."

She shook her head.

"I'm sorry Malfoy, but no. I guess I just don't trust you."

Draco smirked, he couldn't really blame her.

"That's fine. Have a good night by yourself."

He then stepped inside of his room to change out of his school uniform while Hermione stared at the floor for minute before sighing and heading to her own room.


	14. Ebullition

The moon was nearly full that night, high enough that it cast few shadows. Just as Hermione walked back out of her room she saw Draco standing by the portrait, fixing the collar of his white shirt before throwing on a black jacket. He was just about to step out to head to Hogsmeade when he felt eyes staring at him.

He turned around to see Hermione standing by her doorway, still dressed causally in a maroon shirt and jeans. While she might not admit it, she definitely looked like she needed a night out of this place just as much as he did. Against his better judgement, he decided to ask her again.

"Last chance, do you want to go or not?" Draco asked while buttoning up his jacket.

Hermione sighed a little after he asked that. Getting out of this place tonight to go blow off some steam from all the work she had been doing did sound nice, and if it were anyone else besides Malfoy asking she probably would have agreed to go in a heartbeat. How come Harry and Ron, or even Ginny were always so busy?

She remembered his answer when she first brought up the idea of being civil to each other, why would he all of sudden want to be-

"Hello? Do you want to go or not?"

The sound of Malfoy's voice snapped Hermione out of her thoughts as she stared back at him and saw that he looked like he was getting impatient.

"Fine, I'll go." Hermione finally said. "But I'm warning you Malfoy, if you pull something or if this is just a trick, I'll go straight to Dumbledore and make sure you get removed from your head boy position."

Draco narrowed his eyes just as she got done making her threat.

"Good lord, you always have to make things difficult don't you?"

"I do not make anything difficult. Forgive me for not wanting to get hurt."

"I'm not going to hurt you." Draco snapped. "It's just a simple walk to the village."

"Yeah, with anybody else it would just be a simple walk to the village. With you, I'm not so sure."

"You know what? If that's going to be your attitude about it, just stay here."

Draco spun back around and headed out of the dorm but to his surprise Hermione followed him out, looking undeterred.

"Too late." She responded. "You invited me and I accepted."

Draco rolled his eyes but didn't stop her. Together they walked down the staircase, headed to the main foyer and out the door. They didn't say a word to each other as they walked through the castle's courtyard, crunching through the piles of leaves that were scattered on the ground. Finally after about a five minute walk, they had reached the village and walked up to the door of the Three Broomsticks. Draco pulled the door open and didn't even bother holding it open for Hermione as he walked in observed the others in the bar.

"Thanks." Hermione said to him sarcastically when she walked in, having almost run into the door when Malfoy let it close behind him.

They ordered two butterbeers before pushing their way through the crowd of people, spotting an empty table in the far back of the bar.

"Well, look at this." Draco said as he sat down on the stool. "I didn't lead you to some human sacrifice after all. You must be really surprised right now, aren't you?"

Hermione smiled a little but didn't respond as she waited for her drink. After a minute went by, she heard a familiar voice say her name.

"Hermione? What are you doing here?"

Looking over when she heard that, Hermione saw Ron and Lavender making their way to the table she was sitting at.

"Oh, hi Ron. Hello, Lavender."

"Hermione." Lavender smiled.

"I'm just waiting for my drink." Hermione said, but noticed that Ron wasn't paying any attention to her anymore. His eyes were focused on the person sitting across from her.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Ron said as he glared at Draco.

"Oh...well we-" Hermione began but Malfoy interrupted her.

"We're on our first date, Weasel." Draco answered, relishing the opportunity to get under his skin, like he always did. And it worked like a charm as Ron's face instantly turned red and his mouth opened slightly after he said that. Hermione glared at him for a second before looking back at her friend.

"Is that true Hermione?" Ron managed to ask.

"Of course not!" Hermione sighed. "I just decided-"

"Are you actually on a date with him!" Ron then shouted, attracting the attention of many other people sitting in nearby tables.

"Don't you dare shout at me, Ronald Weasley." Hermione snapped.

"Yeah, bad weasel." Draco laughed.

"Shut up, Malfoy." Hermione said, more forceful before turning back to Ron. "Could you really be that stupid to believe that I'm actually on a date with him?"

"Don't call Ron stupid." Lavender warned as she narrowed her eyes at the other girl. Hermione returned the look and Draco's interest in the situation grew, hoping that the two girls would start in on each other. However, after a few moments Hermione managed to calm down and she returned her attention back on Ron.

"Ron, I'll explain everything tomorrow morning. Just go, please?"

"Fine." Ron responded while taking Lavender's arm. "Come on, let's go."

The couple turned around and headed for the door. Hermione watched them the whole way until they were gone before turning back to Draco.

"Was that really necessary?" She asked.

"What?"

"Why did you have to start up with him?"

"Because I can't stand him. And if he's actually that much of an idiot to believe we're on a date, than he deserves it."

"He's not an idiot." Hermione sighed, now feeling bad for what she had said. "Ron just reacts first and thinks later."

Just then, the waitress came along and saw their drinks on the table.

"Well," Draco began as he picked up his glass of butterbeer. "Cheers, Hermione."

Hermione just looked at him as he sippped a little of his drink, not believing that once again she had heard her first name come from his mouth. When Draco sat his glass back down he noticed that she hadn't picked up hers and was just sitting there, staring at him.

"What I do now?" He asked.

"You called me Hermione again."

"Wasn't it you who suggested we call each other by our first names?"

Hermione nodded as she picked up her glass, yes it was her idea. And sense it was, she could follow through on it.

"Okay. Cheers…Draco."


	15. Fear

Getting back from the Three Broomsticks and currently laying in her bed to get some sleep, Hermione rolled over as she tried to get more comfortable. She couldn't believe it, but she was actually happy that she ended up accepting Draco's invitation to go with him to Hogsmeade. Hermione also couldn't believe that the two of them were actually starting to get along, she just hoped it would last.

As her eyelids started to get heavy, Hermione started thinking about Ron and how she wanted to find him and explain the whole situation to him, but that would have to wait until morning.

Long after Hermione fell into a peaceful sleep, inside the other bedroom in the dorm Draco violently tossed and turned in his bed. The torturous thoughts and fears had come again.

For the last few weeks he had been plagued with the dark dreams of the time he spend with the Dark Lord over the summer. Draco always tried to remember that he was safe here in Hogwarts, and well that might be true, he wasn't safe from the Dark Lord inside his mind.

The truth was, every time he closed his eyes it was like he could feel the Dark Lord's eyes on him. He could feel his icy fingers reaching out to pull him back, forcing him to accept his destiny and return to the life of being a Death Eater.

Now as Draco lay twisted in his sheets, breathing heavily, yet another memory overwhelmed him in a moment of suffocating fear.

XXXXXX

Gripping his wand tightly, Draco watched as the house elf, Vladimir writhed on the ground as he administered the Cruciatus Cruse for the very first time in his life, and without the presence of the man who had been teaching him about Unforgivables for the past week, Severus Snape.

The only other person in the room was the Dark Lord himself. After a few more seconds, Draco then slouched against the wall when he lifted the curse. The elf at his feet continued to whimper and moan, curling in upon itself.

"I'm impressed." Voldemort said as he looked over at Draco, who looked back at him with dilated eyes and ragged breaths. "Now Draco…kill him."

Draco looked up at his master after he heard his order and then looked back down at the quivering elf, feeling sorry for the poor creature.

"Kill him, now." Voldemort said again.

Slowly lifting up his wand, Draco pointed at the elf and tried to say the words but couldn't. When the Dark Lord noticed his hesitation he narrowed his eyes.

"Do it!"

Draco gritted his teeth and finally yelled;

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

Several days went by after he had killed the elf. Now it was midnight and he was standing outside in front of a roaring fire while the other Death Eaters, Bellatrix, McNair, Crabbe, and Goyle Senior led their recruits they had been training to get their tattoo of the Dark Mark. Draco could only look on, waiting for his turn as one by one they knelt down and the tattoo was burned into the flesh of their arm.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder and Draco sighed in a little in relief, thinking that it was Snape, the one who had been training him here to see him get the mark. However when he turned around, he found himself staring into the eyes of the Dark Lord.

"Come with me," Voldemort said as he motioned for Draco to follow him. He led him back into the lair and up the staircase, leading him to his bedroom.

"My lord…I thought I was getting the Dark Mark tonight, like the others." Draco said in confusion.

"Oh no, you will be getting something much different."

"What?"

A smile came over the Dark Lord's lipless mouth.

"Draco," he began. "I've looked into your thoughts, I've seen what you want. Something you've desired your entire life. You want a father."

"I _had_ a father-"

"A real father. One who guides you, one who actually cares what happens to you."

Running a hand through his hair, Draco thought about what the Dark Lord was saying. He never really knew his actual father, he had no connection to him at all. It was like he was just some guy. Snape was always much more of a father figure in his life.

"It's always sounded nice." He finally admitted.

"Well then?"

"What? Are you offering to be my-"

"Draco, what do you think I've been trying to do for the past few weeks?"

"I...I don't know...I hadn't... I guess I hadn't thought of it that way..." Draco looked into the other mans eyes, saw them burning with a fire that gave no warmth.

"Hold out your arm, Draco." Voldemort then instructed.

Reluctantly, Draco did what he was told and his eyes widened as Voldemort pulled out a small dagger with a skull at the end of it from his robe. He then turned over Draco's arm and cut his wrist.

Grimacing, Draco tried not to yell out in pain at the sting of the cut as it started to bleed. Then to his shock Voldemort took the dagger and cut his own wrist and began let it bleed onto Draco's cut.

A moment later, his eyes felt glassy and all the strength left his body...he collapsed onto the floor.

XXXXXX

Waking up a few hours later, Hermione got out of bed and exited her room on the intention of heading to the restroom when she noticed that the door of Draco's bedroom was half way open. She knew from the past few weeks of living with him that the Slytherin liked his privacy and wondered if he was so tired when they got back that he just collapsed onto his bed, not even caring if his door was shut or not.

She walked over to the room to close his door for him and that's when she started hearing the sound of grunts and cries from inside the bedroom. Hermione stopped walking for a minute before curiously sticking her head inside to see Draco tossing back and forth in his sleep.

He looked like he was having a nightmare.

Hermione made her way inside and the closer she got to the bed, the worse Draco started yelling in his sleep. She gently put a hand on his shoulder and began shaking him.

"Malfoy, wake up."

Draco's eyes then opened and he sat up, looking startled that he was not alone.

"Granger!" he growled out of fright more than anger. "What are you doing in here?"

"I…I'm sorry, your door was open and I was just going to shut it but then I heard you yelling in your sleep."

She then moved to light a candle in the sconce on the wall nearest to her but Draco's voice stopped her.

"Don't light that." Draco said softly, wishing to hide in the relative darkness any physical signs of the fear still on him. Hermione looked back at him and saw that he looked paler, if that was even possible and his eyes were wide, with dilated pupils.

"Are you all right, Malfoy…I mean, Draco?" Hermione asked, concern in her voice.

She moved a little closer to him. By his facial expressions she could see he was struggling with his answer.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He finally said.

She didn't believe him though.

"You know…I can't help but notice that ever since school started again, you seem different. It's like something's troubling you."

However, Draco didn't answer her. Hermione looked at him again and noticed again the look of stress he had on his face. But she knew that if he didn't want to talk about it, he wasn't going to…especially with her. Even though they were being civil with each other now, it didn't make them friends or anything.

"But, if you don't to talk about it…that's fine." Hermione said as she moved towards the door. "It's up to you."

He continued to watch her until she was out of the room and closed the door quietly behind her. When she was gone, Draco ran his hand through his hair and layed back down on the bed, not knowing how much longer he could handle these nightmares.


	16. Revealing

Currently drying herself off after getting out of the bath, Hermione smiled to herself as she was in a good mood today, probably because she got to sleep in this morning and didn't have to worry about any of the added stresses of her head girl duties. She just wanted to enjoy the rest of the weekend, not wanting to think about anything right now, knowing that it would all begin again tomorrow.

When she was all dressed Hermione stepped out of the bathroom and headed to the portrait intending to go down to the Great Hall to get some breakfast only to stop when she saw Draco sitting on the couch, hands folded on top of his head and staring off into space.

Honestly, she didn't know what to say to him, if anything. Good morning? Ask him if he felt better after waking up from his nightmare last night? Hermione really didn't know how far along they were in the agreement to be civil to each other from now on.

Seeing that he was paying her no attention she just decided to keep heading out but just when she got her feet moving again, he spoke up.

"The Dark Lord killed my father."

Hermione slowly turned her head to look back at him, a little taken aback by what he had just said.

"What?"

"The summer after fifth year, the Dark Lord killed my father." Draco said again.

She walked closer to the couch, surprised by what she just heard. She had no idea that Draco's father had died. It was never reported in any newspaper and it was never brought up in any Order meeting she had been present at. Hermione then began thinking about Draco's behavior during sixth year, and while he was the same prat he had been to her and her friends ever since first year, she always thought he seemed a little weird last year...just a little different.

While Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater, Voldemort's most trusted one to be exact, she didn't know how to feel about his death, if Draco was telling the truth. While she be happy to know that he wasn't around to hurt anyone else anymore, if given the choice Hermione would have wanted him tried and sent to Azkaban instead of being killed.

"Then, this summer…he came for me." Draco continued. "He had me taken from my home and brought to his lair."

Hermione slowly sat down next to him.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious." He snapped. "You think I would make this up? While I was there they taught me Unforgivables, Occlumency, even how to kill. Everything in order to become a Death Eater."

"How did you get away?"

"Severus helped me escape. But I can't get him out of my mind. Almost every time I fall asleep I have a nightmare about him."

It wasn't only that. Whenever he closed his eyes it was like he could feel the Dark Lord watching him, whenever he turned a corner he was expecting him to be standing on the other side. He was always with him, like a bad habit. But deep down, what scared him the most was that he felt like he had connected with him, in a way that he never had with anyone else before, even Severus.

While Draco continued to think to himself, he ignored Hermione's eyes on him. He really didn't even know why he had told her, he guessed he just needed to get it out. Tell someone about it, anyone.

Hermione on the other hand didn't know what to say. Despite the things he had said and done to her and her friends over the years, she still felt sympathy towards Draco. No one deserved to go through that, not even him. Resisting the urge to lay her hand upon his arm, she prayed that only her near presence would somehow ease him.

"I am so sorry," she said sincerely. "That must have been horrible for you."

"Save your pity for Potter or someone else Hermione, I don't need it."

"It's not pity." Hermione assured, still feeling weird by hearing her first come out of his mouth. She didn't know if she would ever get use to that. She had just become so accustom to him referring to her as Granger over the years or worse.

Draco turned his head to look at her and saw that her eyes were filled with genuine compassion. That surprised him, it really did. He shook his head a little and spoke again.

"I don't even know why I told you this."

"Sometimes just talking with someone can help."

He shrugged.

"Maybe, but you don't share information like this with your enemy."

Hermione's brows furrowed a little as she looked at him strangely.

"You're not my…"

"I'm not what?"

"No matter what you might think to the contrary you're not my enemy." Hermione sighed. "At least, not on my part. I don't go seeking out enemies, you do."

"If I'm not an enemy than what have you considered me for the past few years?" Draco asked. "Surely not a friend."

"No…" she answered, pondering his question. "Not a friend."

"And I'm not an acquaintance either, right?

"No. Not an acquaintance either, I suppose."

"So what am I to you?"

Honestly, she had no idea. Especially right now, when they were both making an effort to be civil with each other. If someone had told Hermione a year ago that right at this moment she would be sitting on a couch have a peaceful conversation with Draco Malfoy she would have thought that person broke out of St. Mungo's psychiatric ward. But here they were.

"I don't know," she finally answered. "You're just…Malfoy."

"What does that mean?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

"An aggravating, sly, shut off, unemotional, cold, smarmy, bane of almost everyone at Hogwarts' existence."

"Why thank you."

She couldn't help but smile a little after he said that.

"Only you would take that as a compliment."

Draco smiled back. He couldn't believe the two of them were getting along as well as they were. While he would never admit it...it was kind of nice.

Hermione then got up and headed out again. Once she said the password she prepared to step out but once again, Draco's voice stopped her.

"Hermione...thanks."

"Your welcome...Draco."

When she was finally out in the hallway and walking away from the dorm, Hermione began thinking that she really could trust him after all. And that maybe Draco wasn't just someone worth being civil with, but someone who was worth having a friendship with.


	17. Glutton

The next morning Draco felt more rested and refreshed than he had in a long time as his sleep finally wasn't interrupted by some horrible nightmare or memory. He dressed almost mechanically, in a hurry because he wanted to be out in the common room when Hermione came out of her room. He didn't know what he would say to her, he only knew he wished to talk with her before classes started.

After all, Hermione had recognized that something was going on with him and offered to listen. Draco felt grateful for that, and it was a funny sort of a thing but he actually felt better getting all that off his chest the other day. It was a like a load had been lifted off his shoulders.

As soon as he was all dressed Draco grabbed his bag and walked out of his room, and went to go sit on the couch to wait for Hermione. After a few minutes, she finally came out looking considerable less rested than he felt.

"Good morning," he said to her with a sly smile.

"Good morning," she responded.

"I uh...I didn't have any nightmares last night."

Hermione smiled warmly at him.

"That's good."

Draco nodded as he got to his feet. She had helped him out, now it was time to return the favor.

"Listen, I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to worry about covering my patrolling duties anymore. I'll start doing it again from now on."

"But…we made a deal. I said I'd do it so you would stop Ron from being expelled."

"It's okay, don't worry about it."

"You're sure?"

Hermione couldn't believe that she was actually arguing with him over this. She should have been jumping for joy that Draco was offering to take it back so she would have one less thing to worry about. Apparently he was thinking the same thing as he raised an eyebrow in frustration.

"Hermione, I've seen how exhausted you've been ever since she started doing this. But fine, if you want to keep-"

"No," Hermione quickly said. "Thank you Draco, really."

"Don't mention it."

After he said that Hermione smiled before turning to head to the bathroom. Draco exited the dorm and leaned back against the wall deciding to wait for her.

"Draco!"

Draco shut his eyes after he heard that. There was only one person on earth who said his name so annoyingly. He turned his head and saw a very upset Pansy Parkinson making her way towards him.

"Pansy? What do you want?"

"How could you!" Pansy then yelled, ignoring his question as she was now in front of him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Theodore told me he saw you walking around Hogsmeade on Saturday night with that…that…thing!" She howled, her eyes wide and angry. However, Draco only narrowed his eyes as he looked down at the dark haired girl, finding himself hard-pressed to contain his anger at her expense.

"Look, the two of us have been under a lot of stress lately and we just needed to get out of this place for the night, what's wrong with that?"

"I cannot believe you actually went out with her! Why would you ever want to spend time with that mudblood piece of trash? Is this why you've been spending so much time here and never coming up to the Slytherin common room?"

"I have my own common room now. And there's nothing going on between me and Hermione."

Pansy looked shocked after he said that.

"Did you just actually call that mudblood by her first name?"

Before Draco could respond the portrait opened up and Hermione stepped out, and from the look on her face he could tell that she had heard every word Pansy had said. No one said a word for a few moments before Hermione finally broke the silence while glaring at the other girl.

"Did I interrupt something? Please feel free to continue, anything you were saying about me you can say it while I'm standing here, pug-face."

"You stay away from him," Pansy warned. "He's just using you anyway. All you are is another shag to him, what else would a no good mudblood like yourself be used for?"

"Is that it then? You must not be very good if he has to stoop to someone of _my _stature." Hermione sneered back.

Draco smiled a little after that, seeing the flustered look on Pansy's face as her eyes darkened threateningly.

"I…I…" she began

Then to his shock, Pansy lifted up her hand and slapped Hermione clear across the face, making her head jerk to the side, a red handprint instantly beginning to form on her pale left cheek. They stood like that for a moment, Draco with his mouth open, not knowing what to do, Pansy breathing heavily with her hand still raised, and Hermione motionless, her brown hair covering half of her face.

"That'll teach you to respect your superiors, you little-" Pansy began with a snarl but before she could say another word Hermione retaliated with a slap of her own.

Pansy then screamed and threw herself at Hermione, taking them both to the ground and they began to roll around, each with fistfuls of each others hair in their hands as they tried to cause as much damage as they could on each other.

Draco took a step back as he stared at the battling girls. He didn't know whether to laugh or break it up, or do anything at all. After watching them for a few more moments and after a couple more slaps, his male instincts returned as he quickly went over and grabbed Hermione around the waist, pulling her up and away from the other girl.

"You're disgusting!" Pansy howled as she got back up, a little bit of blood running down her lip. "You hear me mudblood! I'm going to get you for this!"

"Shut up Pansy!" Draco yelled as he continued to hold Hermione back with his arm wrapped around her waist, holding her in a hug-like grip. "Get the hell out of here!"

"And you! You'll get you back too!" Pansy shrieked before finally spinning around and stormed away. Hermione had visibly relaxed as she glanced back at Draco who let her out of his grip but then lightly took her arm and guided her back into the room.

"Come on, let's see if you're okay."

They walked back into the room and Draco led her to the couch. Hermione sat down and Draco gently turned her head to look at the red mark on her cheek.

"Does this hurt?" He asked while lightly running his thumb under the mark.

"No...not really." Hermione responded. She was a little shaken up, this was the first time she had actually been in a fight before. She then noticed that Draco was still stroking her cheek with his thumb. He must have realized it too because he quickly stopped and took his hand away. "Not exactly head girl behavior."

"Don't worry, if Pansy tells any of the professors I'll tell them that she started it."

Hermione nodded before looking at the floor, still feeling a little ashamed of herself. Draco saw this and started thinking of something to say to cheer her up.

"Don't feel bad." Draco began. "Girls fight over me all the time."

A slight smile came to Hermione's face as she looked up at him.

"Oh, I feel better now."


	18. Quorum

Sitting on the couch in the common room with her feet tucked under her legs, Hermione was engaged in the novel 'Macbeth' she had taken off the bookshelf and had been reading it ever since classes ended for the day. Just as she turned the next page however, Draco opened the door and walked out of his bedroom wearing black silk pajamas with slippers.

Upon seeing her on the couch and that she was paying him no attention, he smiled a little to himself as a way to bother her came to him and walked over to sit down next to her, sitting closer than necessary and just stared at her without saying a word.

Hermione continued to read and tried to ignore Draco but found it harder to concentrate now that he was right next to her. She only managed to make it to the next paragraph before a held back, reluctant smile came to her face as Draco just continued to stare.

"What do you want?" Hermione finally asked with an exasperated sigh.

"Why is it that almost every time I see you, you have your nose shoved in a book?"

"I've always liked to read. Don't you?"

"Not really." He answered and looked at the cover of the book. "I've only read a few non-fiction books anyway."

Hermione blinked.

"Only a few books?" She asked incredulously. "In your whole life?"

"Reading has never really been an interest of mine."

"But…but books are…"

"What?"

"Never mind."

He almost laughed at her shocked amazement. His eyes then went to the lit fireplace as he moved further down the couch so the two of them weren't sitting so close together. Hermione was about to go back to her book but his voice stopped her.

"So…why don't you like Lavender?"

Hermione placed the book on her lap and looked over at him, suprised by his question and wondered why he was asking her that all of sudden.

"What makes you think I don't like her?"

"Just a hunch." Draco shrugged. "I just remember that look the two of you gave each other back at the Three Broomsticks. I thought you two were going to go at it like you did with Pansy this morning."

Hermione shook her head.

"I don't have anything against her…it's just, she's dating Ron…"

"Don't tell me you actually like the Weasel?"

"I did," she admitted. "I don't know, now that they're dating and Harry is going out with Ginny, I guess I just feel like the fifth wheel nowadays."

"Is that why you ended up coming with me to Hogsmeade?" Draco asked. "You don't like being alone."

"I don't mind being alone." Hermione responded, a little too defensively. "I just prefer to be around others, and not be such an anti-social jerk to everyone…like some people."

Draco's eyes narrowed.

"What? No witty comeback? Well, that's a first." Hermione said with a slight grin on her face as she went back to her book.

His lips were snarled in a frown as he got back to his feet and headed back to his room. Draco then turned around to look back at Hermione and smirked as he got an idea.

_"Accio!" _

The book flew out of Hermione's grip and landed right in Draco's hands. Immediately getting to her feet, Hermione looked absolutely deadly as her eyes were blazing with anger.

"Give it back Malfoy!"

"Ooooh, you referred to me as Malfoy. You must be mad."

Then out of nowhere, she picked up the closest thing to her…one of the pillows off the sofa and threw it as hard as she could at the Slytherin.

Draco blinked as the pillow bounced off his head. He looked down at it on the floor and looked back up at Hermione, confusion etched on his face. What was that suppose to do? Hermione then quickly picked up the other pillow on the sofa and lunged towards him, hitting him with it repeatedly.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Draco yelled while trying to get his arms up to block the hits.

Draco then started to run around the couch with Hermione chasing after him with the pillow, giving him random hits to the back and shoulders all while yelling at him to give her book back. A knock on the door suddenly got both of their attentions and they stopped what they were doing.

"Hermione!"

Hermione sighed as she recongized the voice from the other end.

"What is it Ginny?" She called back.

"Are you coming down for dinner or what?"

"Oh...yeah, I'll be right there."

She then looked back at Draco.

"Are you coming?"

"No." Draco said while turning to head back to his room. He felt particularly lazy today. "I think I'll have my dinner brought up to me."

"Suit yourself."

When she walked out of the room and got to the Great Hall, Hermione and Ginny sat next to each other across from Harry and Ron. After they all put food on their plates they started talking, that is until Susan Bones walked by and headed to the Hufflepuff table. Ron's eyes followed her the whole way there.

"Ron?"

After he didn't respond, Hermione picked up her fork and jabbed his hand with it.

"Ow! What the…" Ron broke his gaze away from the other girl and looked back to see what had just happened.

"Honestly Ron." Hermione sighed. "All it takes is a pretty face with you."

"Well you didn't have to stab me!" Ron grumbled while rubbing his hand.

"You're lucky Lavender didn't see you." Ginny said.

Before any of them could say anything else, Dumbledore stood up from the staff table and patiently waited for the hall to quiet down. A hush spread quickly as every student turned to watch the old wizard in the vibrant, light blue robe.

"Forgive me students for interrupting your dinner, but there is announcement that I wish to make to all of you." Dumbledore began.

Hermione glanced at the others for a moment before looking back at the headmaster with great interest.

"Forth year's Yule Ball was such a success that we have decided to hold it again this Christmas. And since we all had a delightful time, I have decided to open the ball to everyone. All years will be allowed to attend."

Everyone at the tables listened on as they looked at each other in surprise. The younger years had never been allowed to attend a Yule Ball before.

"Now, I think that I have prolonged your supper for long enough, thank you for your patience." Dumbledore smiled at them again and sat back down. As he did, Ron turned back to his friends.

"I thought that the Yule Ball was a Triwizard tradition?"

"It is." Hermione replied. "I don't understand why they're changing it this year."

"And what's with letting the younger years go?" Ron asked.

"Dumbledore probably wants to keep as many students here at Hogwarts as possible because of Voldemort." Harry said. "That's why it's being held around Christmas time."

"Oh," Ron said, trying not to flinch after hearing the Dark Lord's name. "That makes sense."

"At least we don't have to worry about getting dates this time." Harry smiled.

"That's a relief."

Hermione ignored them as they continued to talk and wondered to herself if she and Draco would have any hand in helping plan the Yule Ball, since they were the heads.

"Who are you gonna go with?" Ginny suddenly asked her.

"Oh, I don't know. It's not for a few months anyway."

Ginny nodded and silently as she continued eating, Hermione resolved not to think about Draco anymore.


	19. Whispers

"So, how are things going as head girl?" Harry asked Hermione as they all continued to eat. "Has Malfoy been giving you any trouble?"

"No," she responded while absent mindedly poking at her mashed potatoes with her fork. "We've actually been getting along rather well over the last few days."

Her statement was overheard by Ron and it caused him to look at her with bewilderment in his eyes.

"Come again?"

"Malfoy…he's not that bad."

"Not that bad? Malfoy…not that bad? Hermione are you feeling okay? Maybe you have a fever, you could be delirious. We should take you to see Madam Pomfrey."

Ron tried to reach across the table to put his hand on her forehead but Hermione shoved his hand away and glared at him.

"There isn't anything wrong with me, all I said was that he's not that bad."

"Are you kidding me? Malfoy has future Death Eater written all over him."

Hermione glanced down at the table after he said that. She didn't want to let them know that Draco had told her that he had spent time with the Dark Lord over the summer, learing to be a Death Eater, even if it was unwillingly. It was private and she was still surprised that he had told her about it, told her that the Dark Lord had killed his father. There was a lot about Draco they didn't know that she did.

"Ron, you're being absolutely ridiculous." Hermione finally responded. "Harry, please tell him that he's being ridiculous."

Harry sighed a little.

"Hermione...I don't know. It is Malfoy after all."

"Yeah, have you forgotten what he has called you over the years?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Ron. I'm aware of what he's said about me." Hermione said as she narrowed her eyes. "But what am I suppose to do? Keep fighting with him just for the sake of fighting? We're not twelve year olds anymore."

Harry couldn't help but smile a little. She had always been more mature than them.

"I guess if you've found a way to co-exist with Malfoy it isn't such a bad thing." He began. "Since you guys are the heads and have to see each other pretty much every day..."

She smiled back at him, silently thanking him for understanding while Ron just muttered something under his breath as they all went back to eating their dinner. Hermione knew that Harry could let go out of the school feud he had with Malfoy, he had much more important things to worry about, but Ron on the other hand was just too proud, too stubborn to let anything go.

Over the years, Draco had not only made fun of Ron, but made fun of his family as well. It had started in first year and continued all through the rest of their school career. Hermione always had sympathy for Ron, knowing that Draco always hit him where it hurt the most, she knew how much he hated being poor.

After they finished eating, Hermione said good night to them all and headed back to her dorm to get some sleep.

The next morning, after splashing water on his face, Draco hurriedly got ready for classes today already knowing he was twenty minutes late for potions. He quickly threw his robes on and rushed from his dorm room down to the potions classroom to be greeted by an angry Professor Snape.

Draco actually thought that he was joking at first when he saw the professor's angry expression and he grinned humorously. Snape's eyes then narrowed and his smile faded. He couldn't possibly be this mad about him being late could he?

"Mr. Malfoy," he said through slightly gritted teeth. "Would you be so kind as to explain to me and the rest of the class why you are so late this morning?"

Several of the students from the other houses looked back at him to watch "Snape's favorite student" getting a taste of his sarcastic tongue for once.

"Well…" Draco began, "I was late because I was doing my hair. You can never rush perfection you know."

An audible gasp rippled through the room alerted the pale boy that he might have gone too far. Snape gave him a hard look before he directed his anger towards someone other than him.

"Potter," he barked, spinning on his heel and turning towards the other boy, "Why is your potion green when it clearly states on the board that it should be blue?"

"I...I don't know," Harry mumbled, and Draco grinned because he knew what was going to come next. He even mouthed the words behind Snape's back.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for your stupidity," he spat predictably. "Can you at least _try_ to make an effort in this class, hard as that may be for you."

Harry gritted his teeth furiously and clenched his fists beneath his desk. Snape was baiting him, he knew that and he was determined not to let his temper take control of him. But, knowing that Snape enjoyed tormenting him, Harry would like nothing better than to strike him with a powerful curse.

Draco then walked to his table and smirked at Harry before sitting down, trying to catch up on what he had missed. He rubbed the back of his neck and moved his head around…he felt a little weird this morning.

He didn't know why, he didn't have any nightmares last night. But still, Draco felt a little off.

The moment the bell rang, Draco got up and hurried out of the dungeon. His next class was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. They were studying the subject of human and animal transfiguration or human and magical creature transfiguration, Draco couldn't remember. He found the class incredibly boring.

Then, just as he turned the corner a dark, demonic voice whispered in his ear…

_"Draco…kill for me."_

Spinning around, Draco looked wildly around to see where the voice had come from but only saw other students walked about, heading to their own classes. Shaking off the icy chill he felt, he continued on until he reached his class.

When he walked in, right by the entrance of all people were standing Hermione and Ron. They were talking and as he passed them by he overheard 'dance.'

"What dance?" Draco asked, curiously.

Ron ignored him, but Hermione answered.

"Dumbledore is planning a Yule Ball for this Christmas."

"Aw…is little Ronnikins worried about looking good for his boyfriend Potter?" Draco smiled. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll still get a snogging session with him no matter how badly you're dressed."

Ron spluttered as his face turned red.

"I…Harry and I aren't…I'm not…"

"It's okay, you don't have to ashamed. I'm sure there are plenty of other gay weasels out there."

Seeing red, Ron balled up his fist and threw a punch at Draco but the Slytherin side-stepped him and Ron's fist collided with the stone wall.

"Ahh!"

Ron doubled over as he grasped at his hand in pain while Draco laughed and Hermione ran to his side. Professor McGonagall then entered the classroom and noticed that there was something going on.

"What is this? What's going on?"

"Ron and Malfoy were fighting professor." Hermione answered.

"Are either of you hurt?"

Draco didn't respond and Ron shook his hand a little, fortunately he hadn't broken it.

"I'm fine Professor." He said.

"I don't know what went on here, and to be honest I don't really care." McGonagall sighed. She had been having to deal with the two of them going at it for the past six years. "You and Mr. Malfoy be at my office at six tonight to serve detention."

"What?" Draco said in disbelief. "That is ridiculous! Weasley was the one who threw the punch, he should be the only one punished. I've got more important things to do than serve a detention."

"Mr. Malfoy!" McGonagall scowled. "I am the professor, therefore I am the one who decides who decides who gets punished. You be at my office at six, is that clear?"

_"Draco...kill for me."_

There is was again, that whisper. McGonagall took his silence as a yes and was prepared to start with today's lesson but Draco was still had taken his seat and raised his chin in defiance.

"No."

McGonagall looked back at Draco.

"Excuse me?"

"I will not be at your office. I'm not going to serve this detention."


	20. Venom

Everyone in the class was looking on with hanging jaws after what Draco had just said. McGonagall herself was amongst them and after a few seconds she found her voice.

"Mr. Malfoy," she began. "If you do not come to my office to serve your detention along with Mr. Weasley, I'll-"

"You'll what?" Draco challenged. "You can't do anything to me, only my head of house can do anything significant. I'll just tell him the whole story and he'll take care of everything. After all, who do you think Professor Snape will believe, me or the old hag he has the misfortune of working with?"

He smirked when the entire class gasped and Hermione looked on in horror. McGonagall herself appeared shocked.

"I…I can go to Dumbledore. That's what I will do! You will be expelled from this school immediately! You cannot talk to your professors in this manner and expect no consequences!"

"I think you forget that I'm the head boy this year, and that I'm fairly well known outside this school. Kicking an academically excelling student out of school for no reason will not be looked upon favorably by the governorship. I will make sure of that."

"Why you…you are a disrespectful, obnoxious, little scoundrel Draco Malfoy. You never should have been named head boy, you disgrace all those who wore that badge before you."

_"Kill for me…"_

There it was again.

_"You know the spell..."_

Draco could feel his hand inching up to the inside of his robe which held his wand. However he quickly got a hold of himself and clinched his fist, anger continuing to build in him.

"Actually…it's incompetent, mudblood-loving filth like you who are the disgrace."

After he shot out his last venomous insult, Draco finally sat down at his seat while continuing to glare at his teacher. McGonagall shook away the shock from her face as she didn't want this to go on any longer and regained her usual stern exterior.

"I will be speaking with Professor Snape at the end of the day about this, Mr. Malfoy."

"Be my guest."

McGonagall finally turned around and headed for the board to begin today's lecture. Draco smirked and he looked around the class, seeing the look of disbelief on everyone's face until he reached Hermione. The two of them locked eyes, Hermione just shook her head at him and turned her attention back to the parchment in front of her and began taking notes.

Now currently outside the headmaster's office next to the gargoyle after classes came to an end for the day, Draco sat on the bench looking thoroughly unconcerned. McGonagall was inside along with Snape talking with Dumbledore about his behavior. After a few more minutes of waiting the door finally opened up and McGonagall stepped out, not even bothering to look at him as she walked away. Just then, the potion's masters was the next to exit the office and Draco got to his feet.

"Draco." Snape began.

He nodded back politely.

"Professor."

"That wasn't your brightest idea, you do realize. Saying those sorts of things to a professor."

"I don't know, I thought it was pretty funny."

"Draco!" Snape snapped, now losing his patience. "You're not helping yourself. I understand that you may not like her but what you did was unacceptable. Talking like that to the headmistress of all people could have gotten you a one way ticket out of here."

"Dumbledore wouldn't have expelled me." Draco responded coolly. "You all have to keep me away from the Dark Lord remember? Where else would you keep me?"

Snape lifted his chin as he continued looking at his student.

"You're being a little too arrogant. You're not immune from being kicked out of school, if you were to do something that warranted it. There are other safe places Dumbledore could place you in."

"No one's safe from the Dark Lord."

"I was able to get you out of this Draco." Snape sighed. "Don't push your luck any further, I don't know if I'll be able to help you if anything like this happens again."

"Hey, I don't need your help." Draco snapped. "I don't need you, or anyone else!"

He then spun around and stormed away, heading back up to his dorm. When he got there he walked into his room and slammed the door behind him, throwing himself down on the bed. He didn't care about any duties he had today, he wasn't leaving this room for the rest of the night.

Draco ran his hands roughly through his hair as he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He was just so sick of this school and everyone in it. He didn't want to be here anymore, he just wanted to escape.

Escape…

XXXXXXX

The moon was full on his particular hot, summer night as Snape raced down the long un-illuminated hallway of the Dark Lord's lair. He was on a mission to rescue Draco from here, after he and Dumbledore figured out just what Voldemort wanted him for.

Voldemort wanted Draco to be his heir, to become the next Dark Lord and carry on his legacy. Since he never got to hear the prophecy, he needed a back up plan just incase he failed to kill Potter.

Snape continued going along, as quietly as he could, trying to stay in the shadows as he headed for the staircase.

"Who's there?" Suddenly came a voice that echoed around the empty hall and Snape froze. He pressed himself against the wall, trying to stay out of view as he slowly took out his wand.

"I'm warning you," said the voice as it got closer. "I'm armed."

Finally, a person came into view and Snape saw that it was Crabbe Senior. Before he even saw him, Snape pointed his wand at Crabbe and fired a silent curse.

_"Confundo."_

Once he was hit with the spell, Crabbe's face went blank, his eyes unfocused, and his jaw slack.

"Get out of here." Snape ordered.

"Yes…" came the other man's slurred voice and walked away.

When he was gone, Snape then ran out from the corner and up the staircase as fast as he could. When he reached Draco's room, he knew the door was locked so he simply pointed his wand at the door and blasted it open. Draco immediately jumped up as pieces of the door landed on his bed. Snape then entered the room and leaped forward, grabbing the boy by the wrist and pulling him up.

"Severus! What the-"

"Come on, I've got to get you out of here!"

He shoved on his boots and grabbed his wand as quickly as he could before he was pulled out of the room and the two of them ran back down the staircase. They kept going, Snape leading the way as he memorized which hallways led to where until they finally reached the exit.

When the fresh air hit his face, Draco couldn't help but smile. It had never felt so good. They kept running until they reached a hill before both stopped for a moment to catch their breaths. Then the sound of another voice got Snape's attention causing him to snap his head around to see where it came from.

"There! I see him! He's trying to escape!"

"Well, get after him!" Yelled another voice.

A shudder went through Draco's body. There weren't getting out of here without a fight.

Hordes of unmasked Death Eaters who had guarded the lair were running across the ground. One or two fired curses, but they were a little too far to reach them yet.

"Come on!" Snape yelled and they began running down the hill.

"I think Snape is with him!" A Death Eater yell echoed. "Snape helped him escape!"

They continued going but Draco knew they were quickly catching up, he could feel it. A jet of red light then passed so close over Draco's shoulder that he felt its heat. Snape quickly shoved him out of the way as he spun around to look over his shoulder, seeing five Death Eaters standing on top of the hill. He pointed his wand at them and began firing stunning spells.

Knowing Snape couldn't handle them all by himself, Draco managed to turn himself around and even though his insides were twisting, he lifted his wand and fired at one of the Death Eater's…

"_Stupefy!_"


	21. Spiderweb

Upon reaching her room after getting finished with dinner, Hermione sighed a little as she slowly closed her door and sat down on the bed, the incident between Draco and Professor McGonagall from earlier today was still fresh in her mind.

She thought about what Ron had said to her when she sat down at the table in the Great Hall.

"Malfoy's not that bad huh?"

How could she possibly defend him after what he did this morning? Over the past week the two of them had gotten along better than she could have imagined…almost to the point were she could consider him a friend…kind of.

Hermione knew deep down that something was troubling Draco. It was something deeper than what he had told her about being forced to train as a Death Eater under Lord Voldemort. She knew there was something more to it that, but how on earth could she get him to tell her what it was?

Draco's door was closed and she hadn't seen him since Transfiguration class, he hadn't even come down for dinner. Hermione grabbed her book off the nightstand and decided to pass the time by reading until he finally came out.

However, inside the other bedroom, Draco had been sitting in the same spot for hours. He just sat there in the dark, waging a war inside of himself. Part of him just wanted to go to sleep, wake up the next day and continue on with his life, but the rest of him seemed to know already that he wouldn't. That eventually he would be drawn back to the Dark Lord.

He slowly closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall.

_"Come back to me Draco..."_

_"What do you want?" Draco asked._

_The Dark Lord smiled as he walked closer towards him._

_"To help you of course."_

_"Help me how?"_

_"You're not happy here. You and I both know that."_

_He walked a few steps closer and Draco didn't back down even as he came to stand right in front of him._

_"Draco..." Voldemort began. "Don't come at me as an enemy...come to me as my son."_

After about another hour, Draco finally forced himself to his feet and crept from his room, quickly saying the password and exited the dorm, heading down the staircase that would take him to the front entrance of the castle. As he walked down the steps, he began thinking if he had any real reason to stay.

Hermione?

_"She's just a mudblood. She doesn't care about you."_

Little did he know that Hermione had heard every step he made and was following him at a safe distance. She had been determined to get him to talk, and she was going to go wherever he went. She kept following, down staircases and through hallways until Draco approached the main foyer and Hermione then figured out that he was leaving and began running over to him as fast as she could.

"Draco!"

He spun around in surprise when he heard someone yell his name and narrowed his eyes when he saw who it was.

"Granger. What are you doing?"

"I uh…" Hermione began, a little uneasy because of the look on his face, and the fact that he had referred to her by her last name. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"Well I don't want to talk to you." He snapped at her. "Stupid mudblood."

Hermione looked at him, her once fearful eyes quickly becoming that of a furious glint. She realized the boy standing in front of her right now wasn't Draco, he was Malfoy.

"How dare you? Who do you think you are?" Hermione's hands were clenched into fists and she began to tremble with rage. She couldn't believe that just twenty-four hours ago she defended him, considered him trustworthy. Here he was, acting like his old self again.

"Me? I'm not the one who's a mudblood."

Hermione's anger then took over her and she lunged towards him before she could stop herself. She threw her hands at him, trying to hit him but Draco managed to back away before she connected and he grabbed her hands, staring at her in shock.

"I hate that name! I hate it so much! How dare you call me that?" She struggled against him but he held her hands firmly as she trashed in his grip. "How dare you call me something so vial when you were only a step away from being a Death Eater! I hate it, and I hate you!"

"Well you won't have to put up with me anymore, will you Granger?" He whispered before letting her go.

"What are you talking about?"

"Because I'm going back to the Dark Lord."

The anger that Hermione once felt quickly faded away as she looked at Draco in shock.

"What? You…you can't do that. You can't go back to him."

"Don't tell me what I can or can't do." He snapped.

"So what?" Hermione snapped back. "Are you going to prove everyone who thought you would become a Death Eater right? Are you going to become just another minion for Voldemort?"

Her voice than got quieter as she finished.

"Are you going to kill people just because they're muggles?"

Draco just stared at the the large front door in front of him before closing his eyes and gently putting his hand on it. She didn't know, didn't understand the power of the Dark Lord.

"I have to." He finally said. "I've always had to…it's just that I didn't want to accept it until now. You belong here, Hermione. But we both know that I don't."

"You could." Hermione snapped. "If you really wanted to, you could. You're not one of them Draco."

He turned back around to face her.

"How do you know that I'm not one of them?"

Hermione looked at him for a moment before she stared at the ground, trying to come up with an explanation. But after a few seconds, she just shook her head and looked back up at him, deciding to go with the simplest answer.

"I just know."

"Well that's not good enough."

"Draco please…" she knew it was dangerous to keep pressing on, but carried on regardless. "You need help. You need someone to help you figure things out."

Hermione then reached out and gently took one of his hands in her own. Draco glanced down at her soft grip of his hand and looked back at her and right then, he realized that Hermione wasn't pretending to care at all.

She really did.


	22. Meander

It was now morning and the sun had risen early, already halfway up the sky as it brightened the castle that was Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Draco and Hermione were both sitting on the couch, the place they had been for the rest of the night when she managed to convince him not to leave. Neither one saying a word, the only noise in the room was the crackling of the fire in the fireplace.

"Hey." Draco finally said, very softly getting Hermione's attention.

"What is it?"

"You know, before I got taken to him I use to think the ones who served under the Dark Lord were with him out of loyalty. But it wasn't…it was fear."

Hermione continued to look at him as he took a deep breath and spoke again.

"It was pure fear, and that was the reason they were with him. They cowered under his glare and froze under his wand. I wonder if my father use to squirm like the others did when the Dark Lord advanced on him-"

"Voldemort." Hermione suddenly corrected. "Say Voldemort."

Draco looked over at her.

"What?"

"Refer to him as Voldemort from now on. Not the Dark Lord."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous."

"Do it. Say Voldemort. It's understandable to be afraid of him, but you give him power when you don't say his name."

"What does it matter to you what I call him?"

"It's a new way of speaking, Draco. A new way of thinking really," she insisted. "It matters."

When he didn't respond, Hermione plunged ahead.

"Come on, you can do it…"

Draco stared ahead at the wall before swallowing.

"Voldemort." He finally said.

Hermione smiled.

"See, it was easy."

He rolled his eyes playfully as they both went back to sitting quietly until they realized it was soon getting close to get ready for classes today. Draco got to his feet and moved his neck around and Hermione quickly got up as well, wanting to see what he was going to do next.

"You never answered my question from last night." He began. "What do we do now?"

"Well…I think we should go see Dumbledore-"

"Oh, please. Don't try to tell me that old chook will fix things." Draco snapped. "I know you and your friends worship the ground he stands on, but he doesn't know everything. He can't answer everything. He can fix everything."

Hermione stood quietly, listening through Draco's tirade, wondering how she ought to reply. She didn't want to say something that would set him off further, or possibly drive him back to wanting to leave Hogwarts again. She considered it nothing less than a miracle that she was able to stop him in the first place.

"He can't fix everything, Draco." Hermione finally said. "You're right. But you're going to have to talk with someone about what's been going on with you. If Dumbledore's not that person, talk with someone else, someone you really trust."

Draco stared at the floor. There was only one person in the whole school he trusted, the man who had risked his life to save him. He just hoped that he hadn't burned a bridge with him. Hermione however looked like she had just read his mind.

"It's Snape, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Then you should ask him for help."

"There's just one little problem." Draco sighed.

"What?"

"We had a little bit of an argument the other day…I told him I didn't need his help."

"So just apologize to him."

"Apologize?" He sputtered, barely able to contain his laughter. "That's rich."

"I'm serious." Hermione responded.

He stopped grinning and looked at her, and by her face he could tell that she was.

"Are you kidding me?" Draco replied, angrily. "I'm not about to get on my knees and apologize like some weak little-"

"You're wrong, Draco." Hermione said, cutting him off. "Apologies aren't a sign of weakness. Apologies are a sign of strength."

"How do you figure that?"

"I once read this book, about a genocide that happened in Rwanda that killed a million people. When it was over, they set up special courts where people stood up and apologized to others that they had killed a member of their family."

"And…?"

"And believe it or not, in most cases, that was enough. That's the power of an apology."

Draco didn't respond as Hermione turned and headed to the portrait. After she said the password and it opened up, she looked back at him one last time before leaving.

"Apologies can do great things, Draco. And they can enable great things."

After watching her leave, Draco slowly got ready for today as his mind was still on what Hermione had just said to him. When he was all dressed, he left the room and instead of heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast he traveled further down the staircase, walking towards the dungeon.

Draco carefully opened the door to the potion's classroom to see Snape standing at his desk with his back to the door, looking like he was mixing some kind of potion. He watched him for a few minutes before finally speaking up to get his attention.

"Severus."

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape responded, not even bothering to turn around.

And right then, as he continued to stare at the potion master's back, Draco realized the father he had always wanted was here all along, standing right in front of him. It wasn't Lucius Malfoy, or Lord Voldemort.

It was Severus Snape.

Hermione's words then echoed through his head.

_"Apologies aren't a sign of weakness. Apologies are a sign of strength."_

"I…I just wanted to…apologize." Draco winced when he said the word but kept going. "For what I said to you yesterday. I do need your help…I need it more than ever right now."

Snape finally turned around.

"What is it?"

"It's...V-Voldemort."


	23. Redemption

Draco opened up to Severus, telling him everything that had been going on with him since he had arrived back at Hogwarts. The nightmares, the voices, the feeling the Voldemort was watching his every move. After their talk he headed to the Great Hall, feeling a lot better because Severus told him he knew how to help, and that he wished Draco had told him about this sooner.

When he arrived at the entrance of the hall, he looked around at all the tables until he found the Gryffindor table and saw Hermione at her usual seat, sitting across from Potter and Weasley. Draco then started thinking about what Hermione told him, about apologies being a sign of strength.

He didn't like either of them, he probably never would.

But he needed to move on. He needed to finally let go of this feud he had with them and every other enemy he had made over the past six years. In order to move on with his future, he had to settle things in the past.

_'I guess I really am growing up.' _Draco thought to himself as he slowly moved towards them. If he was able to see and accept all that without anyone's guidance.

Or maybe having to spend time with Voldemort and his Death Eaters made him see what was really important.

As he got closer he could hear Potter and Weasley arguing about something, Quidditch he guessed. When they finally saw him approaching they quickly shut up and stared at him. Hermione had a worried look on her face, but Draco merely gave her a quick smile before turning his attention back to the two boys.

"Pardon me, I didn't mean to interrupt your lover's quarrel." Draco began.

"Don't you have the wrong table?" Ron snapped.

"Whatever." Draco said casually, wanting to get this over with in a hurry. "It doesn't really matter. I've just come to apologize."

Harry and Ron looked at each other, both completely taken by surprise. Draco had to hold back a chuckle from the dumb look on their faces.

Hermione on the other hand was looking on his great interest. She didn't expect this at all, only suggesting that he apologize to Snape, no one else. She didn't think he had it in him to say he was sorry to anyone else, least of all to Harry and Ron.

"Could you repeat that?" Ron asked, his voice quiet.

Draco sighed and fought from saying something insulting.

"I said, I'm sorry for making fun of you over the past years. Although you started it, you laughed at my name, remember?"

"_That's_ your reason for making my life a living hell!"

"I'm a very sensitive person underneath," he sighed dramatically and turned his attention to Harry. "And Potter…even though you snubbed me when we first met, I'm sorry."

Harry glared at him through his glasses.

"What are you sorry for?"

That one made Draco laugh. If he had to list the things he had done to the two of them over the last six years they'd be here until dinner time.

"For everything." He finally said. "I know you won't believe me, but I'm done messing with the two of you, I don't want to fight anymore. I'm sorry that it took me this long...better late then never, right?"

Ron glanced over at Harry, looking like he was trying to read his friend's expression. Harry looked back at him, both seemed unsure of how to feel about this. However, Draco didn't give them any chance to respond as he spun around on his heel and headed back out of the Great Hall.

"Did you tell him to do that?" Ron asked as he turned back to Hermione.

"Me? Of course not." Hermione said. "What makes you think he'd listen to me even if I did tell him to do it?"

Harry then spoke up.

"Do you think he's serious?"

"No way." Ron answered. "He's a Slytherin remember? He's up to something…"

But as Ron ranted on, Hermione got up from her seat unnoticed and left the hall, going to find the blonde Slytherin. She couldn't help but smile as she thought about what she had just witnessed. Draco had just taken a positive step in his life, a positive step in getter better. And had did so all on his own, no one had forced him to do it.

She looked around when she got in the hall, seeing it deserted and wondered where Draco had gone. Maybe back up their dorm? Hermione began power walking to the direction of the staircase when a female voice suddenly got her attention.

"Hold it right there, mudblood."

Hermione stopped and slowly turned around to see Pansy Parkinson step out from behind the corner, wand in hand and an evil smirk on her face.

"What?" Pansy said as she walked closer and pointed the wand at the other witches chest as she backed up. "Nothing to say to me, mudblood? Can't say that I blame you, after all, you must be terrified right now."

Hermione lifted her chin, bravery filling her face as she stared at the other girl.

"Terrified? Of you? I would never be scared of you, Parkinson. You're nothing but a coward, cornering me while I'm unarmed."

Pansy's eyes flared with rage as she let out a shriek of hatred.

"How dare you insult me, you mudblood!" Her voice then got quieter. "How dare you try to take away my boyfriend!"

"We're just friends."

"Not anymore."

But before Pansy could utter out a single curse, Hermione quickly grabbed her wrist with both hands and the two began grappling for the wand. After a minute, Pansy was able to toss her away but she lost her balance and fell to the ground as well. It was all the time Hermione needed to get her own wand out and prepare to put all those lessons she had in Dumbledore's Army to good use.

_"Stupefy!" _

_"Langlock!"_

Both girl's spells missed and hit the wall behind them. Pansy recovered quickly and yelled;

_"Petrificus Totalus!"_

_"Protego!"_

Hermione screamed out the shield spell and Pansy's curse simply bounced off her. By this time what was going on in the hall was overheard by the students in the Great Hall and some began coming out, to see what the noise was.

Professor McGonagall was among them and her eyes widened when she saw what was happening.

"Ms. Granger! Ms. Parkinson! Stop this at once!"

However, both girls ignored her as they continued yelling out curses.

_"Reducto!"_ Pansy yelled.

The spell missed Hermione and hit the wall, but it suddenly began to crack and pieces of debris came spiraling down just as McGonagall took matters into her own hands and used her wand to freeze Pansy.

It was just then did the students behind her noticed the pieces of rock starting to crumble over Hermione's head.

"Look out!"

Before Hermione could even notice what was going on, she was suddenly shoved from behind, hard. So hard she flu through the air and landed on the stone floor, her head bouncing off it. She vision gazed over as she heard voices yelling before she drifted off into darkness.

XXXXXX

"Hermione! Hermione!"

Hermione slowly opened her eyes and groaned a little at the pain in the left side of her head. When her vision returned to her, she saw that it was Harry and Ron in front of her, both had looks of concern on their faces. Others too had crowded around.

Warily, she pushed herself up as the world began to swirl around her eyes.

"Thank goodness." Ron muttered.

"What happened?" She asked.

"You were dueling with Pansy." Harry explained.

Ron then muttered something unflattering about the other girl under his breath as Harry continued.

"McGonagall broke it up, but one of Pansy's spells damaged the wall behind you and pieces of it started coming down. It almost landed on you."

"How did-"

"Malfoy pushed you out of the way." Ron sighed, it looked painful for him to admit that Malfoy had did something good. Hermione looked at him in shock. Why would Draco do that?

"Is he okay?" Hermione asked in a panic as she got up, Harry helping her.

"He's fine, he's unconscious but he's going to be okay. They took him to the infirmary, and I think that's where you need to be."

She didn't argue as Harry and Ron took each one of her arms and began guiding her to the infirmary to be checked out by Madam Pomfrey.

It wasn't just because her head hurt, she wanted to check on Draco herself. And be there when he woke up.


	24. Forgiven

After getting checked on by Madam Pomfrey and when it was determined that she was fine, Hermione went over to sit next to Draco at his bedside. She didn't care that she was going to miss classes today, she wasn't going to move from this spot until he woke up. It had now been an hour since the hallway duel and Hermione sighed deeply, wishing she had something to read.

In order to escape the eerie silence of the room, Hermione began talking quietly to herself, telling old stories about the good times she had with Harry and Ron, or back in fifth year when she was apart of Dumbledore's Army.

"You should really write that stuff down. It could be a best seller," someone other than Hermione suddenly said.

"Draco!" She exclaimed as she jumped up from her seat.

"Don't shout." Draco softly replied.

"Sorry. I was just worried about you."

"Where am I?"

"You're in the infirmary. I'm guessing you don't feel so good, Madam Pomfrey said you might have a concussion."

"Well, I'm alive to feel it so I guess I can't complain." Draco slowly opened his eyes and looked over at Hermione. "What about you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Hermione replied but then remembered the bruise on her face from hitting the floor and attempted to lighten the mood. "Well…did you have to push me so hard?"

Draco gave her a look.

"I guess the only thing I could think about was the pieces of rock coming down around you."

"I was just kidding." Hermione laughed before getting serious again. "That was a very brave thing you did."

"What was I suppose to do, just let it fall on you-"

"I don't mean that, I mean apologizing to Harry and Ron. I know they're not your favorite people in the world…I didn't expect you to do that."

"Well, I might surprise you every now and then." Draco responded, then started to think about something. "Hey, you never told them about me being taken to Voldemort did you?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Of course not."

"Thanks."

They got quiet after that, both watching each other with unblinking eyes until he cleared his throat, ready to take the next step in bettering himself.

"So…I guess your name is next on the list of people I should apologize to."

"Oh, its okay, you don't have to-"

"Hermione…" Draco began, looking right at her, and gently took her hand in his. "I'm sorry about the way I treated you, how much of a jerk I was. I wish there was a way I could make for the past six years, because I would do it. I'm really sorry."

He meant every word of it. Without her, he probably would have gone right back to the Dark Lord, right back on the path to becoming a monster, just like Voldemort wanted him to be. She was willing to help him, even after all the things he had done to her and her friends over the years.

In a strange way, he was happy to have gone through what he did at the hands of Lord Voldemort. If he hadn't, he probably would have kept being the same person and would have ended up like his father. And he never would have gotten to see how wrong he was about Hermione.

Realizing that while he was lost in his thoughts he forgot all about her standing there, he looked back up at her and to his shock, her eyes were glassy, filled with unshed tears. Hermione then smiled at him.

"I forgive you."

XXXXXX

Hours had passed since Hermione left and Madam Pomfrey gave him a tray of food, Draco got comfortable on the bed and closed his eyes, drifting to sleep.

_Draco had been sitting in the same spot for hours. He just sat there in the dark, waging a war inside of himself. Part of him just wanted to go to sleep, wake up the next day and continue on with his life, but the rest of him seemed to know already that he wouldn't. That eventually he would be drawn back to the Dark Lord._

_After about another hour, Draco finally forced himself to his feet and crept from his room, quickly saying the password and exited the dorm, heading down the staircase that would take him to the front entrance of the castle. As he walked down the steps, he began thinking if he had any real reason to stay._

_Draco then stopped in his tracks when he reached the main foyer and stared at the large door in front of him with a great look of confusion on his face._

_'Wait…why does all this seem familiar?'_

_Suddenly, the front door opened up and there stood Lord Voldemort, with all the evil __and menace that he remembered. The low rumble of thunder could be heard over the darkened sky. _

_Draco swallowed nervously._

_"What do you want?" He managed to ask._

_"You wanted to leave." Voldemort began, his eyes burning into his. "You wanted to come back to me. You know you did…why didn't you?"_

_He thought about the question, then turned his head when he heard the sound of footsteps on the staircase and saw Hermione, and realized this was the time she followed him, stopped him from leaving. _

_"I don't know." Draco finally answered. "I think…I think I'm in love."_

_Voldemort glared at him._

_"Love?" He sneered. "This is bigger than that."_

_"Nothing's bigger that that."_

_"It's fate. It's your fate."_

_Draco shook his head. _

_"Everyone has the ability to change their fate."_

_Voldemort raised his chin as he continued to look at the younger boy in front of him._

_"You once asked me why I chose you. When I look at you…I see myself. Why don't you want this anymore?" _

_"I don't know…I guess it's because…I'm Draco Malfoy. And as much as I wanted to be Lord Voldemort…I'll always be Draco Malfoy."_

_The Dark Lord glanced at him once last time before slowly turning around, disappearing from sight, disappearing from Draco's dreams, his thoughts, his life…for now anyway._

XXXXXX

Several days later Hermione walked out of her room, all ready to being today's classes and saw that the door to Draco's bedroom was open. She wondered for a second if she missed him heading out and went over only to see that Draco was still in his bed, asleep.

"Draco, wake up." She said as she walked further into the room.

He grunted and rolled over.

"Come on, we have to present our potions project to the class today. You can't expect me to do it myself, since I did most of the work."

Again, he didn't respond.

Hermione narrowed her eyes and jabbed him in the side with her finger, causing him to jump.

"Bloody hell, Hermione." Draco muttered. "What are you doing?"

"Get up!" Hermione yelled. "Come on, get up or I'll drag you out of bed. We're going to be late for potions."

However, Draco only smirked.

"_You'll_ drag _me_ out of bed? That I'd like to see."

Hermione narrowed her eyes as Draco buried his face back into his pillow. She went to the foot of the bed and grabbed his ankles and tried to pull him off the bed, but she quickly realized that it was pointless.

"Come back in an hour." She heard Draco say.

Frustrated, Hermione stopped trying to pull him out of bed but an idea quickly came to her head. She smiled as she pulled out her wand and pointed it at him.

_"Rictusempra!"_

Draco jumped a foot of the bed when the spell hit him and fell to the floor in uncontrollable laughter.

"I'll see you downstairs." Hermione said cheerfully as she ran out of the room.


	25. Ascension

_Several Months Later_

Hermione was standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, finishing brushing her hair in her common room when every few seconds she couldn't help but glance over at Ginny who was in there with her, and while putting the finishing touches on her dress she kept giving her a look, and Hermione knew what the look meant.

Ginny, along with the rest of her friends had been giving her that look ever since she told them.

"Ginny, would you please stop looking at me like that." Hermione sighed. "I've finally got Ron off my back, I don't need anyone else bothering me about this."

"I'm sorry." Ginny said. "But still…Malfoy?"

"Yes." Hermione responded, a little forcefully than she intended. "And his name is Draco. I don't understand why everyone is making such a big deal over this, he apologized to all of you months ago and hasn't said a bad word about you since. So why do you have a problem with it?"

"I don't have a problem with it." Ginny assured her friend. "It's just…I don't know, weird."

"Yeah, I guess it is a little weird." Hermione admitted.

"A little?"

Hermione laughed. Yeah it was weird, but it also cool that she was attending the Yule Ball with Draco Malfoy.

He had really changed over the past few months. Whatever he was going through, he had gotten help from Snape and now Draco never had another nightmare about Voldemort. He also never called Hermione or any of her friends a bad name, other than making an occasional light hearted joke about Harry and Ron being a couple.

In the past few weeks, the two of them as the head's had helped plan the Yule Ball and then agreed to go as each other's date.

As she continued to get ready, Hermione decided to let her long brown hair flow instead of tying it back. She was wearing a lovely dark purple dress that sparkled when it caught the right light. Her parents had bought it for her on her birthday and this was the first time she had worn it. After shoving her feet into a pair of high heels, Hermione looked over at her best friend before leaving the room.

"See you down there."

Hermione walked down the staircase and reached the foyer which was filled with students, all dressed up, talking, laughing. She made her way through the large group and towards the Great Hall where the dance was being held.

The doors had just opened up and everyone was starting to go inside. When she entered, she looked around at all the decorations. The white angels and the mistletoes hanging from the ceiling, and the floating candles that gave the room a beautiful golden flow.

"Looking for someone?"

She spun around when somebody whispered that in her ear to see that it was Draco standing behind her, that familiar smile on his face and wearing a black robe with silver lining that complimented his pale skin rather well.

"Hey." Hermione smiled.

Draco started looking around the room.

"Well, everything looks nice."

"Yeah." She agreed. "It all came out just the way we planned."

They were so caught up in each other that they hadn't even noticed that the music had come on and couples were now dancing. Hermione finally realized it when Draco offered her his hand.

"Shall we?"

She took his hand and together they walked further into the room, onto the dance floor. Hermione put her arms around Draco's neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Slowly and awkwardly, they began to sway to the music while looking into each other's eyes.

As they continued to dance, Hermione couldn't help but wonder how the two of them had gotten here, after six years of disliking each other.

But deep down, she knew the answer.

The both of them had come into seventh year with something going on with them, and had no one else to turn to. Draco had come from having to spend the entire summer with the Dark Lord which made him question everything he believed in.

And she had entered seventh year…feeling alone, feeling left out because two of her closest friends were in relationships and she wasn't, although she would never admit it. The two of them needed someone, and it happened to be each other. Everybody needs someone to turn to...even if it's only one person. Because there's nothing worse than feeling all alone.

"What are you thinking right now?" Draco asked.

"About us." Hermione answered. "About how we got here."

Draco smiled.

"Me too."

The two smiled at each other and continued to dance, because at that moment...nothing else mattered.

The End.


End file.
